


Things Change

by Violet_Jade



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Anxiety, F/F, Friendship, Gen, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Multi, Polyamory, Trans Female Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-24 19:53:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 22
Words: 54,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22003546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Violet_Jade/pseuds/Violet_Jade
Summary: A vacationing tourist visiting Beach City finds herself suddenly changed, swept into a conflict alongside the Crystal Gems. With the Diamonds pacified, the Gems must discover who is behind a new wave of gem invasions in order to put a stop to them. In the process, old friends are rediscovered and new relationships blossom. Can this unwitting tourist help Steven to protect the Earth?
Relationships: Lapis Lazuli & Peridot (Steven Universe) & Original Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	1. Premonition

“Victory is mine!” Peridot shouted as she tossed her playing cards up into the air. Of course, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise. Winning at Earth party games was just a small part of her multitude of talents.

Amethyst sighed, exasperated, and Pearl rolled her eyes, but Steven chuckled. “All right, Peridot, I guess you win this one.”

Peridot enjoyed when Steven smiled. She also enjoyed Amethyst, and Pearl, and everything else about Earth, now that she’d spent a couple of years there. With the Diamonds pacified, she no longer needed to worry about research or orders or geoweapons or an attack. She, like the other gems on the planet, could finally relax. Sure, there had been a scare a couple months back when Spinel came to visit, but just like he always did, Steven solved that with the help of his boundless compassion.

She looked to the three of them, and all of them were smiling. It was nice to relax, nice to have friends. Steven was right; there was always more work to do, but she hoped it could stay like this a while longer. Little Homeworld was nearly finished and the town was safe. The three friends played a few more games—she let Pearl win, so she wouldn't get discouraged—and then Peridot said goodbye for the evening, headed out the door. She could warp to the small village housing Earth's gem population, but she often preferred to walk.

Whistling a tune, she began strolling out the door. She got just down the stairs when she heard an unexpected voice say her name. She didn't jump in alarm—how demeaning that would be—but she did very alertly spin toward its source. It was Garnet.

Garnet smirked. "Sorry, looks like I startled you."

Peridot huffed indignantly. "Startled? Ha! I wasn't startled. I was _alert_!"

Garnet chuckled. "Well, I'm sorry I alerted you, then."

"What are you doing out here, Garnet? We missed you for game night."

"I was taking Cat-Steven for a walk." She adjusted her glasses, something Peridot knew signified she'd seen a thread of the future.

"Trouble?"

Garnet nodded. "Something's coming. We'll be ready for it, mostly. But Steven is going to be occupied here. He won't be able to help out in Little Homeworld."

Peridot laughed. "Bismuth and Lapis are there! The three of us can handle anything that comes our way."

"I'm glad for your confidence. But, something awful is going to happen in Little Homeworld while we're busy here."

Peridot frowned. "Awful? Like what? Is something going to happen to Bismuth or Lapis?"

Garnet shook her head. "No, Bismuth and Lapis will be fine. But a human woman is going to be very badly hurt in the struggle."

"If someone's gonna get hurt, why don't we just evacuate Little Homeworld now, until the danger passes?"

“I wish we could, but I’ve looked at it several different ways, now, and they all end with someone hurt, without Steven there to help them. Come with me.” Garnet motioned for Peridot to follow, and she obliged, confused. She led her to the warp inside the house.

“Where are we going?” Peridot asked as the two stepped up to the warp and vanished from the home.

“We have to go to the Kindergarten.”

“The Kindergarten? There’s nothing there but injectors and—” Peridot broke off.

Garnet finished the sentence. “And gem experiments. Peridot, do you remember your research?” She seemed to shudder involuntarily while asking the question.

“Of course I do! Er, not that I’m proud of it. I’m not! Homeworld was experimenting with fusion and The Cluster here on Earth, and the research mostly operated out of the Prime Kindergarten.”

The two stepped off the warp pad and into the dark, bleak canyon that was the Prime Kindergarten. Dormant, defunct, insectlike injectors dangled precariously from the walls from their four spindly legs, refusing to fall, though a few also lay broken and sprawled across the canyon floor. The holes made by manufactured gems littered the place, beautiful despite the devastation the Prime Kindergarten had wrought on this part of the Earth. Years later, still, nothing grew here.

"Peridot, can you get us down into the lab?"

Peridot nodded and pulled out her tablet. Thanks to modifications she had made to it, she could use it to communicate with gem technology. She summoned a lift to the surface, displacing a great deal of lifeless dirt. She and Garnet stepped onto the lift and began descending. The two wandered the derelict laboratory for a while. "Garnet, what are we looking for? Why are we here?"

Garnet stopped her, looking at a containment field holding a dull green gem shard. She responded, "We're looking for that."

Peridot looked at her quizzically. "A shard from a shattered gem? Why?"

Garnet carefully removed and bubbled the shard. The containment field shut down. "It's hard to explain. In my vision, I saw a human getting hurt very badly. I also saw you. You were approaching her, carrying this. You were mumbling something about injectors and your research." She handed Peridot the bubble.

Peridot turned the bubble over in her hands, inspecting the shard. "And then what happened?"

Garnet shrugged. "I wasn't able to see further than that."

"Well, that's not very helpful! So, whoever this human is is gonna die unless I do...something with this gem shard, and you can't tell me what it is I'm supposed to do?"

Garnet sighed. "I don't know you well enough to know what you're going to do."

Peridot grumbled. "Fine. I'll do what I can. I still don't see why we can't just get the human to safety."

Garnet frowned. "You...could. I saw other versions of the vision. But, they were worse. In one, Lapis was shattered. In another, it was you."

Peridot swallowed hard. "Oh. That's...pretty serious."

"Yes. Pearl, Amethyst, and I will be busy fighting on the beach, and Steven will be protecting the town. It's up to you three to protect Little Homeworld."

"Who...who's coming?"

Garnet looked as though she was straining. "I think they're gems."

"Gems? But I thought Steven established peace with gems across the galaxy when he and the Diamonds made up!"

"So did I. Be careful, Peridot." Garnet allowed her to lead them back up the surface, to the warp pad. "Little Homeworld is in your hands."

As Garnet stood on the pad to warp back home, Peridot frowned, looking between the pad and the shard she held. "Okay," she replied meekly. Once Garnet was gone, she warped in silence back to Little Homeworld, wondering what, if anything, she should tell Lapis and Bismuth.

* * *

Garnet sighed as she warped back, headed into her room within the temple. She settled in to have a conversation with herself; or rather, so that her two halves, Sapphire and Ruby, could converse. She did this rarely, as there wasn't often any need for such conversation, as in-tune with one another as the two were. To an outsider, it might seem strange, both people speaking from Garnet's body with Garnet's voice, but she was used to it—it was just a part of who she was, two people combined into a wonderful experience.

"Was that really the right thing to do?" Asked Ruby.

"It was the only way to make sure everyone makes it out of the next fight okay," assured Sapphire.

"But," Ruby countered, "we lied to Peridot. We know what will happen when she uses the gem to try to save the human's life."

"It was necessary," affirmed Sapphire, "to make sure she doesn't hesitate. If she hesitates, the human won't make it."

"Should we really be making this choice for her, though?"

"I know it feels wrong, Ruby, but we don't have the time to ask her. The alternative is death."

"I don't like this, Sapphire."

"Me neither," Sapphire agreed. "But we have to do the best we can to protect everyone we can."

"You're right," conceded Ruby.

Garnet nodded. Unhappy, but in harmony and assured of her path, she began to prepare for an invasion.


	2. The Tourist

Yawning, a human woman stepped off a bus and out onto a sidewalk leading down the road to Beach City. She carried with her a few bags packed with clothes and other essentials, exhausted from the ride, but eager to venture down into town. She'd finally gotten her name changed recently (she settled on "Jade" because she thought it sounded pretty) and she figured the best way to celebrate would be with a little vacation. Delmarva was quite a way from home, so she'd taken a bus, thinking the cross-country trip would be more scenic than a plane ride, which was true, but it took much longer. She could definitely use a rest. She resolved she'd drop off her bags and take a quick nap at the hotel before starting her tour of the city. She looked through her bags for all the paperwork she brought, detailing the arrangements she'd made for her trip, and frowned.

That couldn't be right. She didn't have a confirmation from the hotel. She set down her bags, rifling through them anxiously. The paper wasn't there. Then, she realized, she'd forgotten to book a room. That was fine, she assured herself. She could do that now. She pulled out her phone, bags still on the ground in disarray, and searched for nearby hotels. Oh! There was one, and only...40 miles away. And another, 30 miles away. As she scrolled, she saw that there wasn't a hotel within 25 miles of the small city. Well, that was okay! She'd made worse mistakes before! All she had to do was look at the bus schedule and find out when the next one was, postponing her vacation for a day while she went and got herself set up in a hotel.

Except, the next bus wasn't due to arrive until 8am the next day. 15 hours away. Okay. Well, she'd held off her anxiety as best she could, but now was  _ definitely _ time to panic. She'd gotten herself stranded just outside a strange town with nowhere to stay for the night, and to top it all off, she had her bags all strewn across the ground. She sat down, grabbed a shirt she'd accidentally spilled onto the sidewalk, and froze. She really  _ was _ stranded. She didn't have anywhere to  _ go _ , knowing where she was didn't help her, and she didn't think there was a taxi service or anything to get her out of there. She wanted to put her bags back together and go speak to people in town, at least figure out if someone knew a way to get to a nearby city, but she couldn't. She sat there, one hand still inside her bag, and panicked.

For Jade, panicking didn't typically involve shaking or rocking back and forth. She just froze. The next move she made could be the wrong one, so the only thing she could do was to stop moving entirely. She spent an indiscernible amount of time in this state, until a shadow looming over her broke her from her anxious trance. "Uh...hello?" a gruff, but friendly voice uttered.

She immediately scrambled to put away her things. She couldn't be seen panicking in the street! She quickly zipped up her bags and shot up to her feet. "Um, hi!"

The person she saw was a buff, grey-skinned woman in overalls, sporting a tattoo of a star on one arm. Her shoulder-length hair was comprised of a rainbow of colors, and at the center of her chest was an object that seemed to be an embedded, multicolored, inverted pyramid. "Are you okay?" the woman asked. "You look like you could use some kind of help."

"O-oh! Well, it's...it's not like, a huge deal, or anything. I just...came here on vacation and uh...forgot to find a hotel."

"What's a hotel?"

"You don't...know what a hotel is?"

"Well, I'm not really originally  _ from _ here, you see."

Jade's eyes widened. "Wait. Are you a  _ gem _ ?"

The woman nodded.

"That's so cool! It's really great to meet you; my name's Jade!" She held out her hand to the woman.

The woman chuckled and shook hands. "Bismuth. I see you've got a gem name, too."

Jade blushed. "Oh! I wasn't trying to, like, appropriate, or anything, it was just a coincidence, I thought it was pretty!"

Bismuth cocked her head quizzically. "I didn't know humans named themselves."

"Um…some do, I guess. Not, like...everybody? Just people whose names don't...fit."

Bismuth smiled. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Jade. But, seriously, what's a hotel? You seem to have thought it was important."

"Oh, right. Well, I'm not from Beach City, I'm here on vacation. And, uh, when you go on vacation for more than a day, you need a place to sleep, so hotels are places where you pay to be able to use a room to rest in."

Bismuth grinned wider. "Oh, well, why didn't you say so? C'mon, I'll show you around Little Homeworld! It's just outside the city, and well, not everybody's moved in yet, so I'm sure we've got a spare room somewhere."

"Really? That's great!" Jade picked up her bags and Bismuth led her down the road, a little away from the city, toward a collection of impressive buildings around a large central park area. "So, uh, what brings you this far out of town?"

"I like to go for walks sometimes. The countryside is beautiful."

Jade nodded. It was. "I, um, heard about gems online. There's this blog? Oh, um, do you…?"

Bismuth laughed. "Oh, I've been told about Ronaldo's blog."

Jade smiled sheepishly. "I take it this 'Ronaldo' uh, embellishes a little?"

Bismuth snorted. "Ha! A little? Fool devoted sixteen pages to talking about 'sneeple'! What even is a 'sneeple'?"

Jade laughed. "I guess I didn't read that far back. Well, some of it seems to be true, anyway. There, uh, obviously  _ are _ gems. Is...is it true you guys are extraterrestrial beings who sort of protect the Earth from threats?"

"Sure do! Things are pretty calm now, though; not too many people interested in starting fights these days."

"That's amazing! That's, uh, well, actually why I came to Beach City."

"Heh. You came to Beach City on vacation just in case the magic aliens you read about on the internet were real?"

Jade once again blushed, and looked down. "I guess when you put it that way, it does sound pretty stupid. But no, like, I read about gems, and I saw some pretty compelling photo evidence, and I figured, Beach City's got a neat amusement park and some other fun stuff to do, based on what I found looking it up, it's close to the ocean, which is cool...and well, if gems happened to be real, it would be nice to meet them."

Bismuth smirked. "So, you came out here hoping to gawk at a bunch of weird aliens?"

"No! No, no, no! I was just...well, I mean, like, I  _ was _ fascinated by the idea of other sapient beings besides humans, but no! Actually, I figured, if you really were real, and you really have been protecting the Earth all this time…"

"For over five thousand years now."

"Jeez. Yeah, I figured if you'd really been protecting us since before recorded human history, it would be...that it would be a nice gesture to stop by and...thank you."

Bismuth laughed again. "You came all this way just to say thanks?"

"I...and to go to the amusement park and the beach!"

Bismuth seemed to wipe a tear from her eye as her laughter died down. "Ah, I'm just teasing. Actually, I kind of appreciate it. We don't really get the chance to meet humans from outside the city. Tell me, what's human life like in the rest of the world?"

Jade's eyes grew dark. "A terrible nightmarescape of conflict and political turmoil." Then, she shrugged. "So, pretty much the same as it's been for a long time."

Bismuth gave an incredulous look. "Really?"

Jade snickered. "Also joking!" For good measure, she added, "Mostly. But, the way things are reported these days, it seems sometimes like you don't hear about enough good news.

Bismuth, for her part, still laughed. "You've got a dark sense of humor, Jade."

As Little Homeworld grew closer, Jade inquired, "So...how did gems end up on Earth, anyway? How'd you end up deciding to keep the planet safe?"

Bismuth winced. "How much, uh, how much do you really wanna know? Some of the history is a little rough."

"I mean, it's an interesting subject to me. However much you feel comfortable talking about, I guess? I don't wanna intrude if it's a sore subject, but like, I've been taught about human history. I'm used to closer looks at stuff not being as...glamorous as looking from far away."

Bismuth nodded, and as they walked, she told Jade a fantastic story. It was a story of a family of Diamonds who controlled a vast empire. The smallest, Pink Diamond, wished for a colony of her own, but when it was granted to her, she realized her colony was already full of life, and that the process of creating gems would destroy all life on the planet. She couldn't convince her family to stop, so she assumed a new identity and found companions to rebel. The other Diamonds were driven off, but at great cost—most of the gems on the surface suffered from a horrible ailment where they lost their sense of self and became mindless creatures. Pink Diamond searched for a way to reverse the corruption, but for thousands of years, couldn't find one.

Eventually, Pink fell in love with a human man, and together, the two had a child. However, in order to have a child, Pink needed relinquish her physical form. Pink's gem was passed down to the child, a boy named Steven Universe. Steven grew up, taught by his father and gem family, to become a strong young boy, with a tremendous capacity for love and empathy. Eventually, through great hardship, he was able to speak with the other Diamonds and convince them to help him reverse the corruption of the gems on Earth and dismantle their empire.

"Wait," Jade wondered, "he was really able to just...talk them into peace?"

"Yep. Well, it wasn't easy, if that's what you're thinking, though."

"He must be a remarkable kid."

Bismuth nodded. "He sure is. Maybe he'll come by while you're visiting, and you can meet him." She gestured in front of her. "Here we are! Little Homeworld!"

It was even more brilliant up close. The setting sun reflected off the beautiful stone of the buildings. In the center of the park, a circular white pad surrounded by a glowing star shone bright. And there were gems  _ everywhere _ .

"It's amazing!"

"C'mon, I think I know a place that's not claimed yet. You can stay there for a little while, 'till your vacation's over."

Jade stopped, reaching into her purse. "Oh! Uh, right. So, how much do I owe you?"

Bismuth laughed. "We don't need your money. You won't be bothering anybody, and we have the extra space. It's really no problem."

Jade cringed with embarrassment. "I mean, like, that's really nice, but I'd like to pay you back in some way. I mean, you're constantly saving the world, and you're willing to give me a place to stay so my vacation isn't ruined. That's a pretty big deal, to me."

Bismuth rubbed her chin. "Well, if it would make you feel better—"

"It would."

"—then, you can help us tomorrow morning. We'll be putting up a new building, a place to help teach gems how to adapt to life on Earth."

"I'd love to!"

Bismuth smiled. "Well, all right. Why don't you drop off your bags, and then you can meet a couple friends of mine?"

Jade nodded. Bismuth led her to the building she was talking about, which had a couch (which honestly, she could have done a lot worse, all things considered), and she dropped her bags. She followed Bismuth out instead of deciding to take the nap she wanted, because, well, this was a town full of superpowered extraterrestrial beings who'd been protecting the Earth from their own kind for thousands of years, and they were willing to  _ talk _ to her! That was absolutely amazing! There was no way she could sleep yet!

She followed Bismuth out as she introduced her to some of her friends, with names like Biggs and Larimar, so many that she knew she wasn't going to be able to remember them all. Finally, Bismuth settled near a light blue gem with short, dark blue hair, a tank top, and baggy leisure pants. She was about the same height as an average human. The gem next to her, however, was much shorter. Perhaps only three to four feet tall, the small green gem sported a large, yellow triangular haircut and huge, ostentatious yellow sunglasses. She wore what appeared to be a one-piece bathing suit and yellow boots.

The blue gem was  _ beautiful _ . Bismuth brought her around to the pair and said, "Looks like we've got company for a few days. Why don't you go ahead and introduce yourself?"

"H-hi! My name is Jade! I'm from, uh, the Midwest, here on vacation, and Bismuth kindly offered me a room here, so I offered to help out however I can around here."

The green gem was the first to take her outstretched hand. "Hello, Jade. I am Peridot." She turned to face the blue gem, and said, "See? Steven's been teaching me more about Earth culture. This is called a 'handshake'. You're supposed to grasp their hand and swing up and down violently to assert your dominance!" She shook Jade's hand with such ferocity, for a moment it seemed her arm would be ripped from its socket. The blue gem and Bismuth chuckled under their breath.

Jade smiled, laughed a bit and said, "Well, I think you can consider your dominance asserted."

That caught a chortle from Bismuth and a giggle from the blue gem, who took her hand a lot more gently to shake as she said, "I'm Lapis. It's nice to meet you."

They each sat down, and Bismuth explained, "Jade here is on a vacation, and wanted to know more about gems, so I told her about some of our adventures. So," she continued, turning to her guest, "since you already know a lot about us, why don't you tell us a little something about yourself?"

"Sure! Well, I like to read, I work as an engineer back home, I live alone, and I—boy, there really just isn't a whole lot interesting about me, is there?"

"You mentioned you chose a name for yourself. That's a little unusual, for a human," Bismuth added helpfully, "can you tell us more about that? I'm sure it's an interesting story."

Jade eyed them nervously. "Well, that's kinda personal…"

Lapis smiled encouragingly. "It's up to you. We won't judge."

"Not even if it's embarrassing!" Peridot interjected. The other two shushed her.

Jade nodded. "Okay. Well, when I was born, the doctor said that I was a boy. I was born looking like people think a boy looks. I grew up raised as though I was a boy. I  _ thought _ I was a boy. But, I can't really say I was ever happy with myself. I never liked how I looked. I loved to sing as a child, but once I started to develop an adult voice, I couldn't stand to sing anymore. I went through life like that for a very long time. I had relationships that started and ended, and I still wasn't satisfied with myself.

"My understanding...I think it was slow. There were a lot of hints: the way I acted, being unhappy with my appearance, disliking my voice...but the thing that finally helped me realize what was going on was when I went to a convention. People often went in costume, so I dressed up as someone I really liked from television. Thing is, that person was a girl. I didn't think much of it when getting the costume together, but once I put it on, it hit me: I liked how I looked in the costume. I liked looking like a girl.

"After some therapy, I understood I didn't just like  _ looking _ like a girl, I wanted to  _ be _ a girl. I did as much research as I could before I finally decided that the answer was that I was transgender. That's, uh, when a human is assigned a gender at birth and then finds that they're a different one later in life. Once that happened, the floodgates opened. I absolutely  _ had _ to be the girl I knew I was meant to be. I gave away tons of old boy clothing to make way for new girl clothes. I started taking medicine to alter my body. I started training with a professional to use my voice differently. And, I picked a new name. That's actually why I'm on vacation here. The government finally recognized my new name, so I came to celebrate!"

Lapis looked thoughtful. "Wow. I didn't realize humans were so complicated."

Bismuth nodded. "I knew humans were capable of a lot of change, but it sounds like you've been through a great deal."

Peridot asked, "So, what was your old name?"

Jade fidgeted. "Uh, well, see, I don't really...like my old name."

"Is it a bad name?"

"No! Well, it's not a bad name for a human. But it just wasn't  _ my _ name. So, I left it behind."

Peridot nodded sagely. "Of course. 'Jade' is a strong gem name. If humans have the ability to change their names, it stands to reason they would  _ never _ keep an inferior one."

Jade laughed. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Jade and the three gems talked for hours about human culture, what the gems planned to do now that they were making their home on Earth, and what the people of Beach City were like. When she felt tired, she thanked them for talking with her, settled down onto the couch in the room she was lent, and closed her eyes. Maybe she hadn't ruined this vacation after all.


	3. Mistakes Were Made

The next morning, the visiting human had awoken at the crack of dawn, immediately getting hard to work. Peridot had questioned Bismuth as to why Jade was working in Little Homeworld with the gems, and Bismuth had shrugged and reminded Peridot that she wanted to pay the gems back in some way for giving her a place to sleep.

“But, why did you let her stay here in the first place?” Peridot questioned. “Uh, I’m not complaining, especially not about the help, but why is she  _ here _ ?”

“She needed a place to stay, Peridot,” Bismuth responded. She chuckled. “You shoulda seen her on the road out there, stranded. She looked like somebody had just frozen her in place! And, I figured it would be a good opportunity for some newer gems to learn how to socialize with humans. A lotta gems wanna make a home here on Earth, and if they’re gonna do that, they’ll need to figure out how to get along with the locals sooner or later.”

The two watched as Jade helped gems move heavy building materials, chatting and laughing with them. Peridot smiled. “Well, it seems like your plan’s succeeding. They’re getting along with her pretty well.”

“I’m glad. Why are you so curious about her, though, Peridot? You’ve met humans before.”

“But this one’s  _ special _ !” Peridot lied. “She’s told interesting stories and she’s helping us build our home…”

Bismuth eyed her suspiciously. “Yeah, and the people from Beach City have done the same thing. What’s your point?”

“She’s not even from around here!” Peridot insisted. “ _ I _ think it’s special to come all this way just because she’s heard of us and wants to thank us for saving the Earth!”

Bismuth wasn’t buying it. “Peridot…”

Peridot strained. “Grrrr...okay! Fine! You win! Garnet said there was gonna be an attack on Little Homeworld and the town and the temple and Steven and the other Crystal Gems won't be here to help and the only way we make it through the fight without anyone getting shattered also gets a human hurt and it's probably her and somehow I'm supposed to help her with this gem shard!" Peridot stopped to breathe, pulling out the bubble containing a green shard.

Taken aback, Bismuth frowned. "Uh, okay. Well, Garnet's predictions usually aren't wrong, so shouldn't you be thinking about how that shard's gonna help an injured human?"

"I've been trying! But I don't know how it could do that, it's just a shard! A piece of a gem that contains a fraction of her consciousness, forever in pieces, never able to reform into her original self!"

Sardonically, Bismuth replied, "Well, I'm sure if you keep that positive attitude, you'll figure it out eventually."

"Should we tell her?"

A shadow began to loom over and Bismuth gave a hard look. "I don't think we're gonna get the chance."

Three large, yellow, saucer-shaped vessels hovered overhead—one over the town, one over the temple, and the third over Little Homeworld. They began to descend slowly toward the ground.

"Maybe they're here to visit or drop off more gems who wanna live on Earth?" Peridot suggested.

Almost as if in response, the vessel nearest them fired a laser blast into Little Homeworld's warp pad, cutting a sizable gouge out of it.

"Oh, come on, it took weeks to get that warp working!" Peridot complained.

Bismuth rushed to the middle of the settlement, activating a siren. She shouted to all who could hear, "Look alive, people! This is not a drill! Anybody who can fight, form up on me! Everyone else, take shelter where you can!" She looked to Peridot and commented with a grin, "Well, at least we had a  _ little _ advance warning."

* * *

Jade looked around in a frightened haze, hiding behind a building. She'd already ducked around the corner as soon as she saw that strange ship fire at the settlement, beckoning the two gems that were with her to follow. They had just made it out of sight as large, burly gems began to pour from the bottom of the ship. Bismuth shouted to everyone that now was the time to fight or hide, and the two gems that had followed Jade decided to hide. She cowered with them.

The burly gems attacked relentlessly, clashing with Bismuth at the settlement's center and indiscriminately taking swings at gems with fists or weapons. Several gems seemed to explode into smoke, and Jade tried desperately not to cry out. Seeing her distressed, one of the gems hiding with her explained quietly that those gems were probably going to be fine. Gems whose physical forms were destroyed would reform as long as the gems that were their cores weren't damaged. "Poofing", they called it.

Still, Jade bit her lip as the fight continued. She desperately wanted to do  _ something _ . She looked to the two gems that had followed her—both, quite confusingly, named Larimar. They shook their heads. This fight was too dangerous for them. She tried to smile comfortingly, and led them toward the building she'd been occupying. The two of them could hide inside and wait out the attack.

_ Two _ ? The  _ three _ of them could hide, right? Jade wasn't some sort of soldier, she was an engineer. She didn't work out regularly or anything, she was in terrible shape, and she hadn't been in any kind of fight since she was a kid. She was not equipped for a battle, and she knew it. She and the two gems made their way as quietly as possible around, stopping to check each time they broke cover that they wouldn't be easily spotted. Once they arrived at her borrowed quarters, she opened the door and ushered the Larimars inside. "All right. This place should be pretty safe."

"Thank you," one of the Larimars replied. "All of us should be able to hide here."

Jade held the door open in contemplation. There  _ was _ more she could do. She might not be able to fight, but some of the gems here couldn't fight, either. "You two stay put, okay? I'm gonna look for more non-combatant gems to help." Before either of the two could protest, she shut the door.

She sighed. This wasn't smart, but she really  _ wanted _ to help. She began slinking back toward the battle, looking for scared gems. She managed to wrangle together a few more, each of whom she snuck back to her room and hid. She felt good. She wasn't fighting, but she was helping people. She didn't want that good feeling to go away, so she decided to keep looking. The battle had mostly died down, now, with the fiercest fighting still raging in the center. From underneath a wheelbarrow, she could see Bismuth engaged with several large Quartzes—Jade was starting to learn to identify gems from those she had been helping. Bismuth was most definitely winning.

She was about to turn back and hide, calling her efforts good enough, when she heard Peridot cry out. She'd been shoved aside at least twenty feet, and Lapis was left alone to fight three huge Quartzes. She seemed to be manipulating water to strike them, but was caught in the side with a spear, flinching and losing her concentration. Peridot drew the attention of one Quartz, but Bismuth was still occupied elsewhere. Lapis was fighting two-against-one, and it didn't look good. If she could just have enough freedom to concentrate, she could probably trap them with her hydrokinetic abilities, but each time she tried to retreat, one of her opponents cut her off. She sprouted wings of water and attempted to fly, but one of the brutish soldiers grabbed her by the ankle and thrust her back to the ground.

She didn't see Lapis winning the fight, so, Jade did something foolhardy. Picking up a nearby piece of rebar, she moved with as much speed as she could from cover to cover. She might not be a fighter, and getting involved might not have been the best decision, but she wasn't an idiot. If she wanted to help Lapis, she'd have to catch the Quartzes off guard, allowing Lapis to regain her footing. Finally, she judged that she was as close as she could get without revealing herself, she waited a moment for one of Lapis's opponents to turn her back. Then, she rushed. She slammed the rebar down into the back of the big gem, causing her to stumble.

"What?!" the other Quartz shouted in surprise. She was distracted just long enough for Lapis to send her flying up back into the ship with an uppercut from a powerful water-constructed fist.

The Quartz Jade had hit, however, wasn't as distracted. As Lapis dispatched her comrade, she turned, eyes full of malice. She brandished a wicked looking spear, and thrust it at Jade.  _ Oh, no. _ She'd been an idiot, after all.

* * *

Lapis Lazuli wasn't at all happy with how the day went. She'd  _ thought _ that the Diamonds had made peace with the Crystal Gems, but then, all of a sudden, three of Yellow's drop ships showed up and started spewing soldiers all over the place. Thankfully, for the most part, the citizens of Little Homeworld were holding their own. She, Peridot, and Bismuth were taking care of most of the soldiers, and the fight was nearly done. She only had two more left to fight before she could join up with Bismuth.

"What?!" the Quartz in front of her shouted. She was distracted, good. Lapis thrust her up into the drop ship with a powerful hydrokinetic attack, poofing her inside. She spun around to finish off the second Quartz, but wasn't prepared for what she saw.

Jade, the human who she, Peridot, and Bismuth had chatted with last night, was standing in front of the Quartz. She dropped something from her right hand, a scrawny rod—some kind of building material she'd probably picked up during the commotion. It clanged to the ground and she stumbled backward. Quickly, Lapis smashed a watery fist down onto the Quartz, poofing her, and rushed forward, barely catching Jade as she fell. Looking at her from the front, it was clear why she'd dropped her makeshift weapon. She had a deep wound in her abdomen. She was crying.

"It...really hurts," Jade managed weakly.

Lapis held her, trying to say comfortingly, "It'll be okay. We'll get you fixed up." She began to look around for someone.

"Safe," Jade said. It sounded as though speaking strained her.

Lapis looked back down at her. "What?"

"The other…" Jade couldn't finish her statement. She began sobbing quietly and twitching in pain.

"I need to find Steven. He can fix you." She then began to shout to any gem who could hear, "Where's Steven? I need to get her to Steven!"


	4. An Unlikely Result

Peridot had thought, for precisely a quarter of a second, that the human knew what she was doing, attacking the Quartz that was bullying Lapis. Perhaps Garnet's prediction had been wrong. She might have had that thought longer, except that quarter of a second was all the time the Quartz needed to jam her spear into Jade's gut.

"Oh, my stars!" Peridot shouted as Lapis dispatched the Quartz and caught Jade. She reached out toward the rod Jade had been holding and mentally pulled it so that it jammed into the back of the Quartz she was fighting. The Quartz poofed, and Peridot silently cheered herself. Metal powers were great!

But the human was in bad shape. She was bleeding heavily. Lapis was shouting, asking where Steven was, but Peridot knew he wouldn't make it before Jade died. She rushed to Lapis's side. "There's no time!"

As she pulled out the bubbled gem shard, Lapis argued, "Well, we have to  _ try _ to find him before—what the heck is that?"

Peridot's mind raced, but it didn't take her long to come to a conclusion. "It's a gem shard. I used it as part of my research with injectors. Listen, Lapis: gems are formed on planets by metabolizing inorganic material and absorbing energy from life on the planet. So, each gem contains some amount of organic life inside! I can reverse the process with this shard to heal her!"

Lapis frowned. "Well, then, do it!"

"Right!" She retrieved her tablet and ripped it open. "Sorry," she told it, "but this is important. I need your power source. I can fix you later."

She popped the bubble around the shard and wrapped some wire around it, connecting it to her tablet's removed battery. She placed the gem on Jade's chest, and waited. Nothing happened.

Lapis became more distressed. "It's not working!"

Peridot examined the gem. "Oh! I wired it backward! Just let me…" she reached down and swapped the wires on the battery.

The gem began to glow and hum. After a moment, Jade's body also began to hum and glow. The two hummed louder and glowed brighter, until the light became too bright for Peridot to see. There was a small burst of outward force, but she managed to stay on her feet. A few seconds later, the lights faded. When her vision cleared, Jade simply wasn't there. A glowing green cabochon fell into Lapis' outstretched hands.

Peridot screamed in alarm. "That's not what was supposed to happen! I killed her! I'm a murderer!"

Lapis, however, seemed more mesmerized than horrified. "Peridot," she said calmly, "look."

The green cabochon in her hands began to pulse slowly. With each pulse, it seemed to lose some of its yellow tinge until it was completely blue. It continued to pulse, gaining a light red tinge, until finally, it settled on an almost lavender color. Peridot stared at it. "It can't be."

The cabochon glowed, the light it emitted slowly expanding into a gem's physical form. Lying in Lapis's arms was a purple gem girl, very similar-looking to Jade. Her hair was tied in a long ponytail, and she looked leaner, wearing a tank top and tights. The cabochon was embedded in her chest, between her clavicle and throat. She wasn't conscious. Peridot looked around, and thankfully, Bismuth had driven the invaders to retreat.

Bismuth approached cautiously. "Is...that who I think it is?"

Peridot looked to her, concerned. "I think so. We have to bring her to the temple."

The three watched as the other two drop ships were also driven off. Bismuth appointed her friend Biggs to see to it that Little Homeworld's residents were all found safe and accounted for, and they set off for the temple. Whatever was going on, Peridot hoped the other Crystal Gems could help sort it out.

* * *

When the light had started to shine from the little crystal shard Peridot placed on her chest, Jade's pain began to fade. Even if she was still going to die, losing the pain was a blessing. Though, that thought terrified her. She was going to die! She tried to speak, but that ability had left her. Probably, the spear had cut through her...diaphragm? Wasn't that what pushed on lungs to let air out so people could speak?

Why the heck was she thinking about anatomy right now? That was silly. She didn't know anything about anatomy. Delirium. Is that what happened when people died? They became delirious? Well, that sucked. She didn't want to die. But, she guessed that ship had sailed the second she slapped a huge alien soldier on the back with a pathetic stick. Idiot.

She began to lose more sensation as the light grew brighter. She couldn't see past it. This probably wasn't 'regular' dying, she realized. Or maybe this was what it was like to be healed by a gem? Peridot  _ had _ said she was going to heal her. She thought that was what Peridot said, anyway. It had been hard to hear. She felt herself slipping into unconsciousness, which terrified her. She wasn't ready. Not yet.

Then, suddenly, the light was gone. She was standing in the middle of a field, with a calm, blue sky overhead. Birds flapped lazily through the air and a cool breeze blew the grass around her. The scent of flowers filled the air. How peaceful the scene was. She reached down to pick a flower, and she noticed that her hand was green. That was strange.

_ Wait, no. That wasn't strange. She was a Jade. That was her color. Someone else was here. This was her mind, all that she had left, and someone was  _ here _ , someone who didn't  _ belong _. She had to push out the intruder, the interloper. She couldn't let this person take  _ her _ memories. But, she couldn't do it. She was too weak, too fractured; the intruder too whole. She was lost, all was lost, she'd never— _

The scene disappeared, and Jade awakened.


	5. Awakening

"So, why exactly is there a strange gem sleeping on Steven's couch?" Pearl asked.

The tall, slender purple gem lay in a fetal position, covered with a blanket. Pearl, Garnet, Amethyst, Steven, Lapis, Peridot, and Bismuth all crowded around the couch. Lapis had gently set the gem on the couch, and Peridot was the one who'd covered her with a blanket. She figured that once the gem awoke, no matter who she was, she would be in shock as to the state of her form, and should probably be introduced to the idea slowly.

Lapis fielded Pearl's question. "It might sound far-fetched, but I think she's actually this human who's been visiting Little Homeworld. We talked to her last night, and Bismuth put her up in a room because she didn't have a place to stay. We were attacked this afternoon by an army of Quartzes, and she tried to distract them. She…"

Peridot continued when Lapis began to sound uncomfortable, "She was stabbed through her abdomen with a spear. She lay dying in Lapis's arms and I tried to heal her wounds using a dormant gem shard, but instead of healing her, the gem absorbed her body and re-formed in its entirety. The gem in front of us is either her, or it's the half-consciousness left over from the shard, given physical form."

Lapis added nervously, "The color of the shard changed from green to purple when it absorbed her, so we're thinking it's probably her. I hope."

Pearl gave the gem a sad look and ran her hand across her form. "That poor girl. That must have been an awful experience for her."

Steven looked incredulous. "Wait. Humans can just  _ become _ gems?"

Pearl responded, "Well, they're not supposed to, but gems are usually made by absorbing the life essence of lower, non-sapient life forms. Along with trace minerals from the soil. Usually, the more intelligent life on a planet would be either killed as part of the initial invasion, or it would die out when the planet ran out of resources. But if a gem  _ did _ absorb the essence of a person, it  _ is _ possible it could absorb their consciousness, as well. This would be the first I ever heard of such a thing, though."

Peridot nodded. "She's right. It's theoretically possible."

Garnet sighed. "It's true. That  _ is _ her."

"Garnet?" Steven questioned.

"I saw this in my vision. I knew that if I told Peridot exactly what was going to happen, she might not go through with it. I knew that if I told Steven, he might not have been able to save the town before anyone got hurt. And I knew Pearl, Amethyst, and I were all needed here."

"Wait. You  _ knew _ this was going to happen?"

"This was the only way to make sure everyone made it out in one piece."

Steven frowned. "Garnet, I don't know that I'd call  _ this _ ," he protested, motioning to the unconscious gem, "in one piece. I'm sure she'll probably be glad to be alive, but this is a huge change for her." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We'll have to acclimate her to this slowly."

"I know. I know it's not ideal. But I had to think about what's best for  _ everyone _ ."

Steven smiled apologetically. "I know, Garnet. We'll help her through this. We-oh! She's waking up!"

The gem stirred. "Ugh...what…? That's...my voice sounds a little weird," she said in soft voice. "But I don't feel pain, so I…" she looked to Steven. "I'm guessing you're Steven? So, Lapis got me to you in time after all? Was I like, permanently injured in some way or something? I don't, uh, usually sound like this, so I’m gonna guess that like, my body healed funny."

Steven grimaced. "Well, I  _ am _ Steven, but I didn't heal you. Peridot did. Sort of."

Jade smiled. "Well, it's still nice to meet you, Steven, I'm Jade—aaaaaand I'm purple," she interrupted herself as she reached for his hand, "why am I purple?" She threw off the blanket. "These aren't my clothes! This isn't my body! But I can't be in a  _ different _ body, I'm supposed to be in  _ my _ body! People don't just  _ wake up _ in a different body! This isn't good, no, something's wrong, this isn't right…" Her eyes darted around the room.

"Whoa, whoa, slow down! Take it easy!" Steven pleaded. "It's going to be all right."

He put a hand on hers comfortingly, and Amethyst, Pearl and Garnet each placed a hand on one of her shoulders. Bismuth, Lapis and Peridot sat on the couch with her. As she continued to look around in alarm, Peridot and Lapis hugged her. "It's okay," Lapis assured her. "We can explain everything."

Even so, it took Jade some time to breathe enough to calm herself. The hugs and reassuring touches helped. Finally, she managed, "I...died, didn't I?"

Peridot made a sort of noncommittal mumble. "Er, technically? But, you're alive right now!"

Lapis continued, "Somehow, when Peridot tried to use a gem shard to heal you, it absorbed your body instead, and, I guess, your consciousness along with it. The shard reformed into a complete gem," she mentioned, touching Jade's gem, "which is  _ your _ gem."

Steven added, "Now, I know this is a lot to process, but we're all here to support you, and answer any questions you have."

Jade looked like she was about to cry. "All of you? You're all so nice! I only just met Lapis and Peridot and Bismuth yesterday, and the rest of you today—oh uh, I'm Jade, by the way, though I guess I already said that—and you're all being so kind to me…"

"Are people not normally nice to you?" Steven asked.

"What? No, people are nice to me all the time! I've just never had seven people at once gang up to hug me out of an anxiety attack before!"

Steven laughed musically. "Right. It's probably a little weird coming from a bunch of strangers, too. You already know Lapis, Bismuth, and Peridot. I'm Steven Universe, and this is Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl."

"Thank you, everyone. It's nice to meet you. And...Lapis? Bismuth? Peridot? I'm sorry. It was really stupid of me to rush out like that, not knowing what I was doing."

Garnet replied gently, "Don't be too hard on yourself. Without your timely assistance, Lapis could have been destroyed."

Bismuth added, "And Biggs mentioned how she saw you out there, rounding up gems to hide from the soldiers. You did good today."

Jade blushed. "Th-thanks. But, what's gonna happen to me, now? Am I gonna just be like this from now on?"

Garnet nodded. "Yes. You're a gem, now. It's a strange thing, but we've all gotten used to some pretty strange things."

Jade sighed, cradling her head in her hands. After a deep breath, she spoke again. "There's a lot I'm gonna have to learn, then. Can you teach me? About gems?"

Pearl smiled. "I'd be glad to. I have an encyclopedic knowledge of gems and our culture."

Bismuth stood up. "Well, we should probably be heading back to Little Homeworld, make sure things are okay there. Jade, you're welcome to just keep on using that room, all right?"

"Thank you. I hope everyone is okay."

Bismuth just nodded. Peridot got up to follow and said, "Yes. I'll look forward to seeing you tonight. We...can exchange more stories!"

Jade laughed. "Okay."

Lapis grasped her hand before standing. "From what Garnet said, it sounds like you saved me. So, thanks. And, I'm glad you're all right."

Jade blushed. "Y-I'm glad you're all right, too. I'll, uh, catch you later?"

Lapis looked confused. "Why would I be running?"

"U-uh, never mind."

"Okay. Bye!" She waved goodbye and followed the other two back home.

Steven smiled and said, "We'll give you some privacy. If you wanna talk, just let me know." He, Garnet, and Amethyst moved to head into town. Jade waved to them as they left, as well.

Then, Pearl and Jade were alone together in the room. Pearl sat on the couch next to her. "So, what do you want to know?"

"How long am I gonna live?"

"Well, assuming you don't do something foolish and end up shattered...gems don't age. Essentially, you won't die unless something breaks your gem. That's why it's  _ very _ important to  _ always _ be aware of your gem and protect it from harm."

"I won't age? So...thousands of years could pass, and everyone I know could be long dead, and I'll still be here?"

"Uh…" Pearl seemed to sweat. "Yes? That's a bleak way of putting it, but yes. If there's a natural end to a gem's life span, no gem has reached it yet."

Jade looked sad. "Oh. That's...gonna be a lot to process. Um...what about, like, eating? And sleeping?"

Pearl waved a hand in dismissal. "Oh, some gems like to eat or sleep, but neither is really necessary."

"Huh. That's, uh, well it's good to know I still  _ can _ , even if I don't have to. Why do I look like this, though? This doesn't look like my body."

Pearl appraised her. "Well, a gem's physical form is a manifestation of how they view themselves. You appear before us as the person you see yourself as—your ideal self."

"Wow. I must really like myself, I guess. So, this physical form, it's just like, a projection? The only part of me that's  _ really _ me is inside the— _ my _ gem?"

Pearl nodded. "I mean, your physical form is still you. It's how you interact with the world. But essentially, yes. You exist within your gem, and you project yourself into the world with your physical form. Your physical form can be destroyed, with enough force, and then you will be dormant inside your gem until you have a clear enough picture of yourself to project again. We call the process ‘regeneration’."

"How long does that take?"

"It varies from gem to gem. It can also change, just like your perception of yourself can change. This, for example, isn't my first form, and it's not likely to be the last. Though, I very much like the jacket."

"It's a nice jacket," Jade agreed.

"Thank you! So, did you have any more questions?"

"Well, just one for right now, really."

"Go ahead and ask."

Jade looked pensive. "Can I stay here?"

Pearl snorted. "I mean, this is Steven's house, and there's really only the one room, although I suppose it would be up to him. We can't exactly add another room to the temple, either."

Jade shook her head. "No, I mean, can I stay here in Beach City? You guys have been protecting the world for  _ thousands _ of years! Today I helped a couple of gems hide and distracted somebody so they couldn't hurt Lapis, and even that little bit felt  _ amazing _ ! I wanna help people, Pearl. I wanna protect the Earth with all of you."

"Are you sure? It's dangerous, and even as a gem, you aren't indestructible."

"I can't just go back home, Pearl. Not after today. Everyone wants to feel like they're doing something important, and here, I have an opportunity to  _ actually _ do something important. If you'll let me."

Pearl thought for a moment. "What sort of combat experience do you have?"

"Um...well, I hit somebody with a stick earlier."

Pearl chuckled. "Well, then, I guess you're ready to be a Crystal Gem," she teased.

Jade looked ashamed. "I mean, I know right now I basically know nothing, but I've always been a quick learner. I'd really like a chance. Please."

"How could I say no to that?" Pearl smiled, standing up and reaching out her hand. "Besides, you wouldn’t be the first recent trainee I’ve had. Come with me. I want to show you something."

Jade took her hand, and Pearl led her to a circular white pad in the back of the home. It looked very similar to the pad in the middle of Little Homeworld.

"Now," Pearl was explaining, "this may be a little disorienting at first. This is a warp pad. We use them to travel quickly between locations."

The two of them stepped on the pad, and there was a flash of light. Jade found herself floating next to Pearl within some sort of column of light. Jade followed Pearl’s lead and held herself fairly still, and so, appeared next to Pearl on the pad without stumbling too much. Pearl nodded. “Steven fell during his first time, but I think that may have been because he wasn’t taking it seriously. He  _ was _ just a child, after all.”

Jade looked out in front of her, seeing mostly sky. She and Pearl were on top of some incredibly high stone building, stairs to the right and left of the pad leading up to some room she couldn’t see into. Pearl sat on the stairs and beckoned Jade to sit, as well. “We’ll go inside in a minute,” she said, “But first, I’d like to know more about you.”

“What would you like to know? I, um, told kind of a personal story last night to Lapis, Peridot and Bismuth.”

Pearl smiled. “Why don’t we start with that?”

Jade nodded, and told Pearl the same story of dysphoria and learning to accept herself, looking at the ground the whole time. When she looked up at Pearl, she saw that the gem seemed to be crying. “Um...are you okay?”

Pearl wiped away her tears, sniffled, and said, “Uh-huh!” She took a second to regain her composure. “What else can you tell me?”

“Well, I’m about 30 years old. I...used to work as an engineer—”

“Used to?”

“I mean, as far as anyone I’ve known until now is concerned, I died, right? I don’t look anything like I did before, my voice sounds different, and I don’t think I’ve ever been fingerprinted or DNA tested, but even if I have, it’s not like I have fingerprints or DNA for anyone to test now.”

Pearl grimaced in understanding. “Oh.  _ That’s _ what you meant when you said you couldn’t go back home now, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. If I can’t prove who I am...I can’t go back to my old life. I’m going to be sad about losing that. I’ll try to contact my friends and family. I might be able to convince them of who I am, so we can still talk. But as far as my job, my home, or any of my other obligations are concerned, I’m gone. I don’t exist.”

“I’m sorry, Jade. This must be awfully hard for you.”

Jade put on a brave smile. “That’s okay. You and the others are all really nice. That helps make it easier. Besides, it wouldn’t be the first time my whole life got thrown completely off track.”

“What do you mean?”

“I was married once, you know. We were really in love, but over time, things got worse between us, and we grew apart. Or really, she grew apart from me. When she left, I didn’t know what to do. But, with some help, I finally learned to like myself.” She laughed. “I also learned that I wasn’t who I thought I was, but I already told you that story.” Pearl looked sad, though. “Is something the matter?”

Pearl sighed. “Oh, sorry. I’ve done my best, but it’s still hard sometimes. I also know what it’s like to have someone you love decide...that you weren’t meant to be together.”

“What happened?”

“When I was first created, I was given to Pink Diamond as her personal Pearl. I did everything I could to please her, eventually inspiring her to assume the identity of Rose Quartz and rebel against her family to stop her own colonization of Earth. I loved her, and for a long time, I thought she loved me. But apparently, she didn’t love me the way I loved her. She fell in love with someone else, and then...then she had a child with him.”

Jade nodded. “Steven.”

“Yes. She gave up her physical form so that her gem could become half of Steven. I was a wreck for so long. I’ve been trying to pick up the pieces of myself for a while, but it’s still hard. But, it is like you said: it’s easier with help.” Pearl gave a little smile.

After a long silence, Jade asked, “Was there something else you’d like to know?”

Pearl stood and helped her up. “No, I’d say we know a great deal about each other, now. Why don’t we head up, and I’ll show you the reason I brought you here.”

The two climbed the stairs and walked through a large doorway at the top. Beyond the doorway was a huge stadium, with rows of tiered stone seats, enormous pillars, and a beautiful view of the sky and the countryside below. Jade now realized this structure was somehow floating. “Wow.”

“This is an ancient sky arena, Jade. During the war, gems fought great battles here. It’s where Steven and his friend Connie have done all their weapon training.”

“It’s incredible.”

“I can teach you how to fight,” Pearl explained, “but in order to do that, you need to know more about yourself as a gem. There are many types of gems, and each gem has its own special powers. Each gem was also originally made for some purpose or another, but we’ve since...decided we can repurpose ourselves.”

“Really?”

“Yes. For example, I am a Pearl. Pearls were originally created to be...subservient. We have the ability to store things in our gems that might be of use, and we have an understanding of a variety of different subjects to assist us in...well, that’s not really important anymore. Lapis is a Lapis Lazuli. They were created to terraform planets in order to prepare them for colonization. Because of that, they were given power over water.”

Jade nodded. “So, then, what sort of gem am I?”

“Oh, that’s easy, you’re a—” She cut herself off. “Um.” She moved closer, to inspect Jade’s gem. “Huh. A Jade. Well, that’s a fortunate coincidence. Although, that lavender would technically be considered off-color.”

“Is that bad?”

“Being off-color? No, no. It just means something about you differs from the standard cut. The Diamonds used to discard off-colors, but thankfully, Steven’s effectively removed them from power. In your case, I think the reason you’re off-color is because your consciousness wasn’t originally a gem consciousness.”

“Oh. Well, at least it doesn’t mean I’m broken, or anything. So what’s, uh, what were Jades made for? What do they do?”

Pearl rubbed her chin. “Let me think. Jades were very rare gems. Only a handful were made, near the end of Era 1. If memory serves, they were originally intended to be a replacement for injectors, helping to convert organic matter into energy that could be used to make other gems. I—oh! That explains why the shard absorbed you!”

Jade gave an uncomfortable frown. “Wait, so...I could end up just, like, sucking the life out of stuff around me?”

“Well, technically, yes. But, that’s why we’re here! As long as you learn to understand your powers, you won’t end up using them accidentally.”

“So, I need to learn how to do it in order to know what not to do?” Jade wondered. “That makes sense. Here, lemme try something.”

She walked over to one of the columns. A vine growing around it was beginning to flower. She picked one of the flowers. “I saw this in a vision, after I blacked out.”

“A vision?”

“Yeah. Or a dream, maybe? Anyway, after the gem absorbed me, I had this vision, like I was someone else. I bent over and picked up a flower.”

“You picked a flower in a dream and you think it has something to do with your newfound gem powers?”

“Well, I guess it does sound pretty dumb when you put it like that. I just figured, you know, if I’m a gem now, magic in some way, maybe my dreams are important or something.”

Pearl shrugged. “All right, I’ll humor you. Then what happened?”

“Well, that’s it. It just ended after that. But I can’t help but feel like there was more to it. Something I’m missing.” Jade observed the flower. “Huh. I wonder if I…”

Jade went to sniff the flower. It smelled sweet, but otherwise, nothing happened. That was disappointing. She figured that might work; if you pick a flower, logically, you’re probably going to sniff it next. She set down the flower. “I guess that’s not how it works. Do you think I’m gonna put anyone in danger if I don’t figure this out today? I really don’t wanna put anyone in danger.”

“So long as you stay with the gems in Little Homeworld and keep yourself calm around organic life forms, you should be fine,” Pearl reasoned. “If you lose control of yourself, that’s when you’re at risk of losing control of your powers.”

Jade nodded. “So, I can drain the life out of living things. I’m gonna go ahead and never use that one. Is there anything else I should be able to do?”

“Well, in the end, Jades failed as an alternative to injectors. The Diamonds couldn’t find a way to get them to release the energy they’d gathered. They just stored it inside themselves. So, they repurposed them as soldiers. As it turned out, they were pretty effective at waging attrition wars against organic beings, for, uh, obvious reasons…” Pearl paused as Jade winced, but then continued, “And, though they weren’t naturally as strong as a Quartz, they were quite fast. Oh, and they were still definitely a little stronger than a human. Most gems are.”

“Some of the Quartzes that attacked Little Homeworld had weapons,” Jade explained. “Is there like, a place where I could get a weapon and ask to train with you?”

Pearl smiled. “Oh, those probably weren’t manufactured weapons. A lot of gems, especially soldiers, manifest their own weapons, much like they manifest their physical forms.”

“Do  _ I _ have a weapon?”

"You might. If you do have a weapon, you'll be able to concentrate on the thought of it and summon it."

"Um. How do I do that? I don't even know if I have a weapon, or what it is."

"Oh, that's easy. Your weapon is an extension of yourself, literally. It's a desire you have—the desire to protect others, or to prove yourself, or...well, it's different for different gems. Focus on those feelings, and your weapon will come to you. If you have one. Which, we don't know yet."

"Focus on my desires…What do I want?" Jade looked at her hands. "I...I want to help people. I want to show that I  _ can _ help people. That I'm strong enough...that I'm good enough…"

Pearl frowned. "O-okay, well, you don't need to be hard on yourself today, you only just—"

Jade repeated, "I want to be good enough...for myself. I want to prove to myself that I'm good enough." A glow emitted from her gem. That glow extended into a shaft of light, which seemed solid as she grasped it in both hands and pulled. Jade then stared, dumbfounded.

Pearl gasped and exclaimed, "You did it! It's a staff!"

She was right. Jade held a plain-looking staff, about as long as she was tall. It was solid, though it didn't seem to be wood, which made sense. She said, "Okay, now this is cool. What's this thing made of?"

"It's made of solid light, just like your body. It won't be unbreakable, but it will be very sturdy."

"So, you said this is an extension of me?" Jade asked, twirling the staff.

Pearl gave a nervous look. "Yes, but—"

She was interrupted when Jade accidentally smacked herself in the back of the head. "Ow." She brought the staff back around, which caused her to hit herself in the shin. "Ow!"

Pearl sighed. "—but just because it's part of your form doesn't mean you're going to automatically know how to use it."

Jade grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, that makes sense. But still, it's really cool! So, you're really willing to train me to fight?"

Pearl gave a motherly smile. "Well, I'm going to have to, if you're going to be protecting the Earth as a Crystal Gem." Jade lit up at that. "You're going to need a  _ lot _ of work, though, and I'm not going to go easy on you like I did on Steven when I started training him."

"Because I don't have a human body so I'm more durable?"

"Because you're an adult, and Steven was a child."

"Oh, right, that makes sense, too." She cocked her head to the side. "Are you...ringing?"

A cheerful tone was coming from Pearl's gem. She laughed. "Oh, no, that's just my cellular phone." She put her hand up to the gem in her forehead and pulled out a ball of light, which quickly took the shape of a cell phone. "Amethyst taught me how to use it to set reminders so that I can keep my life organized. Oh! We'll have to start your training tomorrow. It's time for my bass lessons with Greg."

"Greg?"

"Ah, right. Greg is a friend of ours; Steven's father. He's a musician who owns a small business in town. Come on back with me, and you can meet him. We will meet here at dawn each day for training. I have to warn you; it will be very intense."

"I'm a tough girl, I can take it."

The two returned to the building Jade had awakened in, which she now knew was Steven's home, and the entrance to the temple where Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst lived. The front door opened and a somewhat tall, cheerful, portly man stepped in. His face sported a bushy brown beard, and though he was balding on the top of his head, he still had long, flowing hair. "Hey, Pearl, who's your friend?" He asked jovially.

Jade held out a hand to shake. "I'm Jade. It's nice to meet you!"

The man obliged. "Greg Universe. Looks like Pearl's done a pretty good job getting you up to speed!"

"Up to speed?" Jade asked.

"Yeah! Usually, new Homeworld gems take a while to get used to human culture, but you shook hands right away!"

"Uh…"

Greg looked to Pearl. "She's not a Homeworld gem?" Pearl shook her head.

"A-actually, until this afternoon, I was a human."

"She's kidding, right?" Greg scratched his head.

"No," Pearl explained, "she's telling the truth. She was caught up in the commotion this morning and got hurt, and Peridot tried to help her and accidentally turned her into a gem."

"People can just turn into gems?!" Greg asked incredulously.

"Apparently," Jade confirmed, "although I wouldn't recommend it. I'm pretty sure I died."

"Oh, wow, that sounds like quite an experience for you. How are you feeling?"

"Confused."

"I know what you mean. Gem stuff is a lot for humans to deal with. If you ever want to talk, I own the car wash in town. Just stop on by!"

"Everyone here is so nice!"

"Well, that's part of the reason I ended up staying here. It's a good place to live, with good people."

Jade smiled. "Well, I won't keep you from your lessons any longer. It was nice to meet you, Greg. And Pearl? Thanks."

Pearl opened her arms for a hug, and Jade hugged her tightly. As they embraced, Pearl said, "You're quite welcome." Jade pulled away and went to leave, beginning to pick up speed as she left the house. Pearl began to warn her, "And don't run! Your human consciousness hasn't gotten used to the perception shift it will need to deal with your new speed! You could—"

Jade, running faster than she was ready for, lost her balance and faceplanted in the sand, skidding several feet.

"—fall and hurt yourself."

"Is she gonna be okay?" asked Greg as Jade picked herself up off the ground and dusted herself off, thoroughly mortified.

Pearl smiled. "She's adapting quite well. I think she'll be fine."

Jade went to rush off again, this time falling as soon as her third step.

"Eventually," she amended, shaking her head.


	6. On The Subject Of Human Necessities

Steven Universe stood in front of a projection of three incredibly large gems, along with a smaller, spindly-looking gem in the background. The Diamonds smiled.

"Steven, so good of you to call!" White Diamond exclaimed delightedly.

"Calling to discuss your next visit?" questioned Blue.

"Yes," added Yellow, "we're quite looking forward to it."

He rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah. Well, this...isn't exactly a pleasure call. Something's happened on Earth."

"Well," White said dismissively, "I'm certain whatever it is, you can handle it."

He shook his head. "We were attacked by gem soldiers. A human was pretty badly hurt, and then something weird happened."

"Oh?" inquired Yellow.

"Well, she was absorbed by a gem shard, and the shard reformed into a full gem. With  _ her _ consciousness in it."

"What?" White recoiled in disgust.

"Fascinating," commented Yellow.

"Oh, the poor thing," lamented Blue.

"Yeah," Steven began, "we're gonna do our best to get her acclimated, but—oh, here she is now!" Seeing Jade walking nearby, he waved her over. "Jade! You should meet the Diamonds!"

"What? I, uh, okay." She walked over and awkwardly stood next to Steven. "I'm...not really sure what an appropriate greeting is for gem culture, so, I apologize. I'm Jade. It's an...honor? To meet you?"

Blue seemed tickled. "Oh, she's trying to be polite, how adorable!"

"Yes," responded Yellow, "you're certainly an interesting specimen. To think! First, Steven, the half-human, half-gem, and now a full cross-species transformation! What wonders will Earth come up with next?"

White, though, didn't seem as interested in Jade. "So, Steven, you were saying there was a gem attack on Earth?"

He nodded. "Yeah. That's actually the reason I was calling. They came in Yellow's drop ships. I wanted to know, Yellow, is it possible there are gems out there who didn't get our message?"

Yellow looked indignant. "Absolutely not. I even sent out separate messages myself to ensure my armies knew they were disbanded."

"Wait, what?" Jade interrupted. "You just disbanded them, just like that?"

"Yes? I'm afraid I don't understand the purpose of the question," Yellow responded.

"I...hoo, boy. How do I explain this?" Jade debated with herself.

"Jade?" Steven prodded.

She sighed. "Look. I don't know a whole lot about gem culture. So, I will admit, it's entirely possible this analogy is super off-base. But, lemme share with you something I've learned about  _ human _ armies from history classes."

"From what?" White asked. Blue shushed her.

"An army will follow a leader for a lot of reasons. A cultural sense of loyalty, sometimes, or maybe a common goal, or really, a lot of times, because they're paid or rewarded in some way."

"Fear," Yellow suggested.

"Well, see, that's an interesting one. Civilians, people who don't have a lot of individual power, sometimes you can control them by fear. There's more to it than that but I don't think it's very important to this discussion. Armies, how could you use fear to control them? A leader is empowering them to enforce their will on other people. If an army has enough power, you can't just make them afraid, so usually it's better to give them some other reason to obey. But the thing is, whatever reason they're obeying for, they want it. Whether they're being paid, or maybe getting some sort of preferential treatment or favors…"

Yellow frowned. "Gem soldiers obeyed because that was what they were made to do. It was their purpose."

Jade snapped her fingers. "Exactly. So, when you're disbanding an army, you're taking a group of people with some shared interest, and suddenly, you're telling them that interest isn't there anymore. What are they gonna do?"

Steven grimaced. "They're going to look for that interest somewhere else. You're saying that by disbanding her armies, they feel like they've lost their purpose, and so they're out there trying to find that purpose by invading worlds?"

"Yeah. Like I said, I'm basing this on human history, so I could be wrong. But, Yellow, you had soldiers who, for thousands of years, executed your every command because doing that filled them with a sense of belonging, and suddenly, you ripped that away from them. I can't imagine they're happy."

"So, you're blaming me for this?"

"Of course not! I'm saying, dismantling an empire takes a lot of work! At least, dismantling it without hurting a lot of people."

She sighed. "Well, I can try talking to them. What should I say? I can't very well tell them I was only kidding, and that they're my armies again."

"Why not offer them a different job?" Steven suggested. "Like...rebuilding invaded planets?"

"Or," Jade added, "adding infrastructure to colonies so they can operate on their own."

"Hm. Both good suggestions; the manual labor might help them feel like they're being put to good use. Very well. I'll contact them and let you know how it goes."

Steven sighed in relief. "Thanks, Yellow."

Yellow smiled. "Anything for you, Steven."

White interrupted. "Well, it's been lovely chatting, but we were going to take Spinel to the garden." The smaller gem in the background waved to Steven nervously, who waved back.

"Yes. Good luck to you and your friend," Blue said.

"All right, bye, and thanks again!" Steven said as he ended the communication. He looked to Jade. "How'd you know all that?"

Jade chuckled wryly. "I had a lot of cynical history teachers in school. They spent a lot of time talking about how awful humans have been across history."

"That's depressing."

"Definitely. Though most of that wasn't really so much stuff I knew as it was just me drawing conclusions."

"I wish I'd thought of all that earlier," he commented.

"Pfft. Don't you think you've already done enough? You ended an oppressive empire that was tens of thousands of years old and spanned...how far?"

"The whole galaxy, at least."

"You ended a  _ galactic empire _ as a  _ child _ practically by just talking things out! You're doing a great job, Steven."

He smiled. "Thanks. I really appreciate that. Do you think they'll listen to Yellow?"

She shrugged. "I hope so. It's great that you're so good at talking to people, but other people have gotta solve their own problems  _ sometime _ , right?"

Steven laughed. "Fair enough. Speaking of which, how'd things go with Pearl? Are you feeling any better?"

"I think I'll be okay."

"Do you wanna talk about it?" 

Jade laughed at that statement. 

Steven frowned. "What's so funny?"

"You don't have to be the one to solve  _ everything,  _ Steven. Yes, it's gonna be tough. But that's true of any big change."

"It's hard not to feel like everything's my responsibility sometimes. My mom left behind so many messes when she gave up her physical form to have me."

Jade put a hand on Steven's shoulder. "You can deal with her mistakes if you want, Steven, but that doesn't make them yours."

Steven smirked. "I know what you're doing."

"What?"

"You're putting on a brave face because you think people will worry about you if you show how scared you are."

Jade stood still for a moment, contemplating. Then, she sighed. "Man, you're good."

He gave a rueful smile. "Yeah, well, it's a feeling I know pretty well."

"All right. So how about this, then? I'll talk to you about my problems sometimes, and you talk to me about yours sometimes, and we'll just listen instead of trying to fix anything. How's that sound?"

He laughed. "That sounds good." He frowned. "Actually, that would be nice. You're the only other person in the world who's part human, part gem. There's a lot it's hard to talk about."

The two hugged.

* * *

Later that night, Lapis was taking a walk around Little Homeworld with Peridot. Peridot sighed. "I really hoped we were done with fighting."

"It must come with the territory of being Crystal Gems," Lapis commented. "Do you really believe Yellow isn't the one sending those soldiers?"

Peridot scoffed. "Are you kidding? Have you  _ seen _ the way she acts around Steven? She'd never do anything that might hurt him."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

The two continued to walk. The countryside was lovely during the spring. Wildflowers were in bloom, the moonlight casting an almost mystical aura over them. A pair of young foxes tumbled over one another in the grass, one or the other stopping every so often to prance about victoriously. A family of rabbits snuggled into their den for the evening, and birdsong filled the air around them. Peridot nervously grasped Lapis's hand and looked up, blushing. Looking down at her, Lapis blushed in kind, smiling warmly. They each grasped the other's hands, locking eyes for a while. Then, with a nod, they broke off, taking several steps back from one another.

With a bow, Lapis began pirouetting toward Peridot, her baggy pants flapping in the breeze. Peridot also danced in Lapis's direction, her movements much less fluid and more robotic. The two continued their choreography, each dance a deep, intimate part of who they were. They moved closer and closer, speeding up as they did, expressing to each other their most vulnerable selves, taking one another in. Finally, they converged, Lapis lifting Peridot high for a tender kiss. As their lips touched, they could feel more than just skin. They could feel one another's cores, their most essential selves. Their bodies glowed. They began to turn to formless masses of pure light, and that light mixed together, creating a single mass, a single being, a single self. They could feel themselves perfectly in sync, becoming one person—

Then, they heard a small, quiet sob. Surprised, their concentration was broken and they were each flung violently from their union in opposite directions. They stood up, searching for the source of the noise. Together, they made their way over a nearby hill to find Jade, sitting hunched over with her head held in her hands. As they approached, they could clearly hear her crying.

"Jade? What's wrong?" Lapis asked.

Startled, Jade nearly jumped as she turned around, tears streaking down her face. She quickly rubbed them away when she saw Lapis and Peridot. "Oh! I...I'm so sorry! I came out here because I didn't think I would disturb anyone."

"But," Peridot insisted, "what's the matter? Why are you out here all alone, crying?"

"I'm not tired."

"What?" they asked in unison.

Jade sniffled. "Pearl said that gems can still sleep or eat if they want, even though they don't need to. So, I tried to sleep. But, I'm not tired. I can't sleep if I'm not tired."

"Well," reasoned Lapis, "isn't that a good thing?"

"Yeah," Peridot agreed, "it means you have more time to do things!"

"It isn't—" Jade sighed, cradling her head in her palms again. "I'm not going to  _ get _ tired. I won't get tired, and I won't get hungry, and I won't get sick and I can't go  _ home _ and I…" she began to tear up again and finished pathetically, "how do I even know I'm  _ real _ ?"

"Well, of course you're  _ real _ ," Peridot said, moving closer and putting a hand on her back, "we can see you and hear you and feel you. You're just...different."

Lapis extended a hand. "Come on. Why don't we go back to your room, and we can just talk for a little while? I think you could use some company."

Jade accepted the help standing. The three of them walked together back to the settlement, admiring the wildlife along the way. They entered Jade's borrowed room and sat together on the couch.

"I'm scared," Jade admitted. "There are so many things I'm used to that were just a normal part of life—things that made me human—and now I'm not gonna have any of those things anymore."

"I can't even imagine how that must feel," Lapis said. "But, it's okay. You don't have to go through this alone."

"Yeah!" Peridot chimed in. "You've got us!"

The two of them moved in a little closer to Jade to emphasize their points. The three once again talked well into the night. A few hours later, there was a light knock at the door, but no one answered it.

Bismuth showed herself in. She was saying, "Jade, I brought you an extra blanket in case—" She paused, surveying the scene. Jade, Peridot, and Lapis were all fast asleep together on the couch. Jade leaned up against Lapis, who had lazily wrapped an arm around her. Peridot lay down, her head in Jade's lap. Bismuth smiled, carefully placing the blanket over Peridot's body. "I guess it has been a long day, hasn't it?" She walked back out and quietly closed the door.

* * *

Jade found herself in the same calm field as in her vision—dream?—earlier that day. She tried to look around, but couldn't. She understood. She wasn't in control of her body in this dream. She had to let it play out if she wanted to know more.

Her form bent over and picked a flower. She admired it for a moment, and said, "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes," a voice behind her said, "it is."

The voice sounded distorted, as though she couldn't tell its source. She turned, and there was a shape behind her. It was some sort of person, probably a gem, but it seemed obscured. She didn't think the gem looked like that naturally, rather that the vision or dream didn't want to show her who the gem was. She sniffed the flower, allowing herself not just to smell it, but to taste it, in the way that the senses of smell and taste were linked. She allowed herself to feel almost  _ hungry _ for the flower, and white light siphoned off the plant and into her nose. When she looked at the flower again, it was dry, wilted, and grey. She let it drop to the ground.

"It's such a shame," she commented, "that she'd choose to colonize such a beautiful planet. How long do you think it has?"

"A few hundred years," the gem shape responded, "if we do nothing."

She shook her head. "Such a shame. Have you—?" The dream froze.

_ The intruder had returned to her memories. It was not enough that it had taken her gem and made herself a body from her ashes, no! The intruder  _ insisted _ on taking her mind, as well! She couldn't allow it. She couldn't allow this last part of herself to be taken, to fade into oblivion. She  _ had _ to stop the intruder! _

Jade's skin turned purple, and the field faded into a dark space. The indiscernible shape in front of her began to shift. "What...what's happening?"

She backed away from the shape, alarmed. The shape took the form of a body—her old, human body. However, when it spoke, it sounded distorted, as though a woman were speaking through a voice modulator. 

_ "You are not welcome here," _ the voice warned.

"Who—wait. You're her, aren't you? The one whose gem this is? Was?"

_ "I am what was left behind. I am Jade." _

"Oh. I, um...my name is Jade, also. I think you saved me."

_ "Leave." The intruder  _ **_dared_ ** _ to call itself Jade?! _

Jade looked around. "I don't think...I don't think I can. Was that a memory of yours? From the past?"

_ "Is it not enough that I was broken? You would take my last shreds of myself from me?" _

“Wh-I’m not trying to take anything from you. I’m not even here on purpose. You and me...this was an accident. Listen, why don’t we just talk, okay?”

_ “You are  _ not _ Jade.  _ I _ am Jade. You are an intruder here. I was broken, shattered, fragmented, and this is all that is left of me.” _

Jade frowned. “I can’t imagine what that was like,” she said, carefully approaching. “But, I told you, I didn’t mean to be here. I was dying, and someone used a piece of your gem to preserve me inside. They didn’t mean to do that, either. Nobody meant to do anything to hurt you.”

_ “Lies! If that were true, I would be whole!” _

“Okay, you know what? That’s totally, incredibly fair. Some time ago, someone tried to hurt you? Well, I’m sorry for that. But I’m not trying to hurt you,” she cooed, reaching out her hand. Rather than try to touch the apparition, which she knew would only make things worse, she presented her hand palm-up. “Please. Talk to me. Maybe I can help you.”

_ Jade knew she could not trust this intruder, this former human. It was a product of the Earth, the place where Jade had met her end. “Leave!” she shouted, slapping the intruder’s hand away. “Leave!” _


	7. Love: A Distinction

Jade awakened, surprisingly calmly, to the sound of an alarm. Of course, she’d set a phone alarm to ensure she wouldn’t miss training with Pearl. She was sure the person she’d met in the dream/vision was the former consciousness belonging to her gem, but what should she do about that? Should she talk to Pearl or Steven? She quickly decided against that. She  _ would _ talk to them about it, but not yet. She didn’t know enough. Was this consciousness dangerous? Could it control her? How was its gem broken? Could she help it? Jade kept these questions on her mind as she gently woke Peridot and Lapis. The two of them looked embarrassed at the position they found themselves in, and Jade did not keep herself in the way of them getting up. Though, she had to admit to herself that she was disappointed. It was comforting to be so close to someone. Plus, they had helped her sleep, which she’d been terrified she could never do again. However, that was her problem, not theirs. It wasn’t for her to bother them with. She was grateful for as much as they’d already done. She thanked them for talking her to sleep, and they meekly acknowledged her thanks, then headed out for the day. She frowned, hoping she hadn’t just driven away a couple of friends accidentally. 

Over the next few weeks, a few things became routine. She had that same dream whenever she slept, always stopping at the same point. It was frustrating, to say the least. 

Jade would train with Pearl in the morning, learning how to use her powers. She’d had a breakthrough thanks to the vision, and now knew how to use—and avoid using—her ability to absorb life. Pearl also trained her in the use of her staff, which helped her feel better. She learned to move swiftly to dodge and deflect blows in order to keep herself safe. Pearl always beat her when they sparred staff-to-spear, but that was fine. Jade didn’t need to win. She just needed to get better.

She spent some time with each gem she could. Lapis and Peridot, thankfully, were still willing to speak with her, though never again in the context of helping her sleep. She could live with that. Amethyst was a free spirit, doing her best to enjoy her time on Earth. Bismuth and many of the other gems of Little Homeworld were finished building the place. It looked like a good, sturdy home. Bismuth had even given her the room she’d been squatting in, although she didn’t sleep every night. Of everyone she had met, Garnet spoke the least. It was clear that she had some residual guilt over the prediction that resulted in Jade becoming a gem against her will. So, even though really, Jade was mostly okay, she still made a point to tell Garnet that she forgave her. This made her happy, and so she would often spend time with Jade, talking about past gem business while she watched her cat. Steven took her to some exotic locales via the warp pad, which greatly excited her. They also talked more about themselves and their pasts. She even spent some time with Greg. Steven’s father was, impossibly, even kinder than Steven himself. She exchanged stories about fun times in her past for stories about his life with Rose Quartz, and when Steven was a baby.

Late each afternoon, Jade would climb to the top of a lighthouse on the edge of the cliff overlooking the ocean. As a human, she may have been afraid of the height, but she knew that now, as long as her gem wasn’t damaged, the fall wouldn’t kill her. If she managed to land on her feet, it probably wouldn’t even hurt her. She liked to sit there, enjoying the view and thinking to herself. It was peaceful in Beach City. There hadn’t been word yet from Yellow Diamond, but there had also been no further attacks. Likely, she’d just forgotten to call.

It was on one such day that, as Jade watched the sun set beyond the sea, someone leapt gently to the top of the building to join her. She didn’t turn; the sight of the sunset was too captivating. However, she smiled. “Hello, Steven.”

“What are you doing up here all by yourself?” he asked.

She motioned to the ocean in front of them. “Isn’t this beautiful? It’s been like this ever since I got here, and the view from up here is so breathtaking.” She patted the roof next to her.

“Yeah. It is,” he allowed, taking a seat. “I kept seeing you up here, and I was wondering if you were all right. The other gems seem to think you’re doing fine, but I know it’s hard to change so much.”

“I’ve had some time to get used to things. I still miss getting tired and hungry, though, if you can believe that.”

“I can. How’s training with Pearl going?”

“Pretty well, all things considered. I’m really getting a handle on what I can do. Though, she still kicks my butt every time we spar.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, she’s pretty skilled. Amethyst and Garnet seem to like you. So do the gems in Little Homeworld.”

Jade sighed. “I’m glad I’m fitting in okay. I was worried as a weird...human-gem...monstrosity thing, nobody would feel like I belonged.”

“You’re not a monstrosity!”

“I don’t know about that. If I’m not a monstrosity, then what would somebody call me?”

“A friend,” Steven insisted with a smile. When Jade snickered in response, he exclaimed defensively, “What?!”

She burst out laughing. “I guess I walked right into that one, but come on, Steven. You’re just being corny on purpose!”

He shrugged. “I can’t help it. I’m a very honest person.”

“Things are really different for me now. I was scared and hurt, at first, but now...I’m happy here, Steven.”

“That’s good!”

She paused. “Steven, can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

“Do you know if gems can...get feelings for people, like humans do?”

He smirked. “Is this about Lapis and Peridot?”

Below, Lapis Lazuli, who had, unbeknownst to Steven and Jade, been about to fly up to greet them, paused. Hearing her name, she decided to listen in quietly.

Jade cradled her face in her palm. “Am I really that transparent?” She sighed. “Yeah. It’s about Lapis and Peridot.”

“Bismuth told me about the night she found the three of you snuggled up together, so I thought...”

Jade winced. “They’ve been more distant since then. It’s like they’re afraid to get close.”

Lapis had been about to blush as Steven spoke, but at Jade’s comment, she felt a little ashamed. It was true that she and Peridot were keeping themselves a little distant from her since that night.

“I mean,” Jade continued, “I get it. I’m just some human that got stuffed into a gem, and they’re...they’re both just so…”

Steven interrupted with a sly look. “You’re in love.” Lapis smiled.

“No!” Jade asserted. Lapis looked a little hurt and began to walk away.

Steven was confused. “Really? I thought for sure—”

“I...Look. It isn’t that I don’t like them,” Jade explained, causing Lapis to pause. “I’m...infatuated with them both. They’re such wonderful people, and they’ve been so kind to me, and they’re both so pretty...but we’ve only known each other for a few weeks! That’s not...not how love works for most people. Definitely not for me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Steven, you get together with people because you like each other. You spend time together, you show affection, you have fun, you support each other through hardships...you do all of these things, and you grow to love each other along the way. You’re supposed to  _ build _ love. It’s something you make together.” Lapis thought on this, and decided she should still leave. Not because she was unhappy, but because she knew she was intruding on something private, and she didn’t want to keep doing it. She walked down to the beach and covertly made her way back to Little Homeworld.

Steven nodded. “I get what you mean. Are you gonna talk to them?”

"I'm not sure. I haven't dated much in a while. Plus, they're definitely already together, so I might worry I'd end up a third wheel. And, like...Steven, I don't even know what gems like! How do I impress them?"

"Don't worry so much. Just talk to them! You can sort those things out together."

Jade sighed. "You're right. I'll talk to them tonight." She leaned back, looking up into the sky. "You've really been up there, huh?"

Steven laughed. "Yeah. I've been to the moon, and Homeworld, and mom's old garden, and her old zoo. There are some fine places out there, but none of 'em beat home."

"Maybe. It sure seems inviting up there, though."

"You're stalling."

She smirked. "Fine, I'll talk to them now," she said begrudgingly as she stood up. "You're awfully pushy about this. Why?"

He smiled at her. "I just...really  _ love _ love, you know?"

"I do, too. Thanks for talking to me." 

"No problem. Good luck!"

She leapt from the lighthouse and rushed off into the night. Steven sat a while longer, looking out at the stars and the ocean. Little wonder why Jade chose to perch here each night. It  _ was  _ beautiful.

Jade didn't have to run, but she chose to. She wanted to practice moving at her new gem speed, partly because it would help her training with Pearl, and partly because of the feeling of freedom it gave her to see the world rush by. She was superhuman now, and nothing could stop her or hold her back. She tried to channel that energy into the task at hand. It should be easy, shouldn't it? All she had to do was talk to Lapis and Peridot about her feelings. As she arrived in Little Homeworld, she'd slowed herself down. She looked around. She found the two together, chatting about something. They stopped when she approached.

"Hey, Peridot. Hey, Lapis. Can...can I talk with you for a minute?"

Peridot snorted. "Of course you can talk to us. You talk to us all the time!" Lapis just nodded.

Jade took a deep breath. "Okay. Here goes. Lapis? Peridot? I like you both just...a whole lot. I feel comfortable around you. Safe, even. When we're close, it's like I still have my human heart and it's beating so fast I could die. When I couldn't sleep, and I felt afraid and alone, you both stayed with me, right by my side, until we all passed out. That was  _ wonderful _ . I know the two of you are...together, and I don't want to cause problems for that. But, I was hoping, maybe, if you felt anything close to what I did...maybe the three of us could...make things work?"

Lapis answered first. “Well...I’ve really enjoyed talking with you—learning about your life and sharing mine with you. You saved me from being shattered, too, even if you didn’t exactly make it out in one piece. And being close to you felt...comfortable, right.”

Peridot chimed in, blushing. “I’ll be honest. I suggested this to Lapis a little while ago, but we were worried we had overstepped a boundary with you. I still don’t...exactly understand the bounds of human affection. I thought humans were exclusively pair-bonded.”

Lapis continued, “So, I guess...yeah. We’re both willing to give it a try if you are.”

The three gems went to Jade’s room and spent the night together, talking. And every so often, one of them would steal a kiss from another.


	8. A Revelation

The next morning, Jade was loathe to leave Lapis and Peridot, but she knew training was important if she wanted to actually help protect the Earth. She met Pearl bright and early, but was surprised to see a teenage girl, as well. Her shoulder-length black hair swayed as she turned to greet Jade.

“Hi,” she said, “I’m Connie Maheswaren. You must be the new gem Pearl is training!”

“Um,” Jade shook hands. “Yeah. I’m Jade. So, you’re Steven’s friend?”

Connie blushed. “G-girlfriend,” she managed.

Jade smiled. “Well, it’s nice to meet you. What brings you here?”

“Well, school’s on break for now, so I came by to brush up on my sword-fighting skills with Pearl. Is it true that you used to be a human, but then _became_ a gem?”

“Yeah,” Jade admitted.

“What was it like?”

“Well, I died, so...it hurt. A lot.”

“Wait. You _died_?”

She nodded. “Yeah. It’s a little complicated, but to shorten the story, I tried to help out in a fight and got hurt really badly. Steven wouldn’t have made it in time to heal me, so Peridot tried to use a gem shard to, and...now I’m a gem.”

“Wow, that’s rough. I’m sorry to—oh, hey Pearl!” Connie broke off as Pearl approached.

“I see you two are getting to know each other, good!” Pearl said. “You’ll need to learn a lot about each other to get through today’s training!”

“What do you mean?” asked Jade.

“Well,” Pearl explained, “so far you’ve only trained in single combat. That’s all well and good, but in a battle, you’ll also have allies by your side—and more than one enemy to fight! Since Connie was back, I figured it was the perfect opportunity for you to practice fighting with others!”

Connie beamed. "Isn't that exciting, Jade? We get to get acquainted fighting by each other's side!"

"Yeah," she agreed, "it should be fun. So, Pearl, who did you get to fight against us?"

"Me, of course!" Pearl said, her gem glowing. When the light faded, Connie and Jade were surrounded by what looked to be ghostly projections of Pearl's form. Each brandished an ornate sword.

"Wow," Jade commented, "I didn't know you could make copies of yourself, Pearl!"

"Well, I can't give away all my secrets all at once. It would spoil the training! These holo-Pearls will be your opponents for today's battle. It's up to the two of you to keep each other safe and defeat them together!"

Connie looked to Jade, drawing her sword. "You ready?"

Jade nodded, her staff materializing in her hands.

Connie turned to one of the holograms. It addressed her, "Challenger! Do you wish to engage in combat?"

"Yes."

The eyes of the holograms turned a deep red. "Challenge accepted! Level Three, begin!"

The holograms were quick. They encircled the two, slashing high and low, trying to strike exposed body parts. Connie caught blows with her sword, the weapons clashing together with tremendous sound. Jade dodged as best she could, using her staff to deflect strikes she couldn't evade. She and Connie began moving around one another as well, keeping each other from being hit by the blades.

Still, the holograms attacked relentlessly. Connie protested, "They're just not leaving an opening!"

Jade agreed. She could hold off these holograms all day, but she knew that even if she landed a blow on them, she wasn't strong enough to make it count. And, she knew she couldn't wait forever. In her human body, Connie would eventually tire. Jade had an idea.

"Connie! Don't block their attacks!"

"What? Are you crazy? I'll get cut to pieces!"

"I can keep them off you, but we need to be able to be offensive to end this fight!"

Connie bit her lip, considering Jade’s request, but nodded. Her stance changed, and suddenly, things were a lot harder for Jade. She pulled on every bit of the superhuman speed her gem form allotted her. Her body and weapon became blurs, darting around Connie, deflecting and blocking attacks that most certainly would kill—or at least maim her. Connie, for her part, took the opening. She leapt high into the air, over the heads of and out of the circle of enemies, tucking and rolling to the side as she hit the ground. As she rolled, she cut across their line, instantly evaporating several of them. Now, the fight was winnable. Each of them engaged a hologram, Connie dispatching them with heavy slashes, and Jade doing her best to keep from getting hit. Finally, with one opponent left, Jade twisted her staff, knocking the hologram's weapon out of its hands, causing it to vanish.

The hologram stated, "Challenger wins!" Its eyes went back to normal.

"That was incredible!" Connie exclaimed. "You were moving so fast I couldn't even see you!"

"Me? Connie, how did you get so strong? You stopped their swords like they were nothing, and cut through them like butter!"

Pearl clapped. "Well done, you two."

"High five?" Connie suggested.

Smiling, Jade agreed. "High five."

As their hands slapped one another, the remaining, weaponless hologram's eyes once again turned red. Two of those ornate swords appeared in its hands. "Level Five activated! Challenge accepted!"

"What?" The three said in unison.

The hologram of Pearl immediately rushed at Jade. It crossed its swords and leapt to strike. Jade went to block the attack, but was suddenly struck by a wave of paralyzing fear. She saw something like a flash in front of her, and she could swear she heard a scream of fear and anguish. She dropped her staff to the ground. The hologram's swords easily penetrated her gem form, which, thankfully, didn't hurt as bad as she might have expected. Connie dispatched the hologram, but that was the last thing Jade saw before she poofed.

* * *

Once again, Jade found herself in the field of flowers. This time, though, things seemed...somehow clearer.

Her form bent over and picked a flower. She admired it for a moment, and said, "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes," a voice behind her said, "it is."

This time, the voice was unmistakable. She turned, and behind her stood Pearl, though she was wearing different clothing. She sniffed the flower, absorbing its essence. Pearl failed to hide a look of disgust.

"It's such a shame," Jade commented, "that she'd choose to colonize such a beautiful planet. How long do you think it has?"

"A few hundred years," Pearl responded, "if we do nothing."

She shook her head. "Such a shame. Have you considered my plan?"

"Rose would never allow that! Not even if you _could_ do it!" Pearl was agitated.

Jade—the Jade to whom this memory belonged—sighed. "Always so keen to follow in someone else's shadow. You know, just because you're a Pearl doesn't mean you have to act like one. I thought this rebellion was about _liberating_ gems from the tyranny of Homeworld and hierarchy. Or do you only care for Rose?"

Pearl was definitely offended. "I care for Earth and our cause just as much as anyone! I _fight_ with Rose on the front lines to keep people safe! What have _you_ done?"

"I've fought," she spat acidly, "same as you. You think it's easy for me to take on Quartzes? One of these days, we're all going to be shattered, Pearl! Don't you understand that? Doesn't _Rose_ understand that? Or is she just _playing_ with our lives to prolong this planet's slow death?"

Pearl sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't come here to argue, Jade. I know you're risking as much as the rest of us."

"I'm sorry, too," Jade admitted. "I just don't see how Rose thinks we're going to win this one. The Diamonds have an inexhaustible supply of troops. Our strength isn't infinite."

Pearl looked to Jade with pity. "Is that why you've thought up this plan? You're scared we could lose, so you want to just cut your losses and run?"

"Of course I'm scared!" Jade shook her head, gesturing helplessly. "We can't save the planet, Pearl. I know it. Deep down, you've got to know it, too. But, if I take in this planet's life—if I can learn how to _release_ it again, as I was designed to, we can transplant life from here to somewhere else! The Diamonds can _have_ this miserable rock! It's what lives here that's so special. You and me and Rose and all the other Crystal Gems can just retreat—head off into space somewhere the Diamonds don't know about, and start our own Earth, well out of their grasp."

"Do you really think you can learn to give back the life you can take?"

Jade looked down, dejected. "I don't know. But, I think it's worth trying. It's gotta be better than dying here, right? What do you say, Pearl?"

"I'm sorry," Pearl said sadly.

Jade looked up to see Pearl pounce at her, swords drawn. She didn't have enough time to react. Her form was destroyed, leaving her trapped in her gem to regenerate. But, this was not the end to Pearl's betrayal. Jade _screamed_ as outside, a force shattered her gem, scattering its pieces. She felt her consciousness, herself, being torn apart. It was the most painful thing she'd ever experienced, and she just—

* * *

Jade awoke with a start, reformed on the floor of the arena. Connie and Pearl stood over her, looking concerned. "See? I told you she'd regenerate, good as new. You gave us quite a scare, Jade."

Those eyes. Pearl was looking at her with those eyes. She'd had Pearl wrong. Pearl wasn't a nice, misunderstood, motherly figure. She was a terrifying warrior. A liar. A shatterer. She had to get away! She scrambled back away from Pearl, eliciting renewed concern from her and Connie.

"Jade? What's wrong?" Pearl tried to approach, and Jade continued to back away, stopping only when she realized she'd reached the edge of the platform. 

She'd never survive the fall, even as a gem. She looked up at Pearl with pleading eyes. "Don't...don't hurt me, please."

Pearl laughed, confused. "What? I'm not going to _hurt_ you! That was just a hologram! Apparently, their challenge protocols are a little touchy, I'll have to see if I can fix that."

Jade was still shaking. "You. It was you."

"What was me?"

"You're the reason she's like this. You're that one that shattered her—the first Jade!"

"That's impossible!" Pearl insisted. "I've never shattered anyone! I—"

She was interrupted as she was struck by a sinister-looking implement, surrounded with yellow electricity. The electricity coursed through her body, and she screamed, then poofed. Behind her was standing a menacing Quartz, holding the weapon. Another Quartz had grabbed hold of Connie, keeping her struggling form held tightly to her body. The Quartz brought the weapon down on Jade. The pain was intense. Jade could feel her body—reformed just moments ago—being ripped apart. She screamed as she, too, poofed.

Jade did not dream, this time. She came to in a dark place, cold steel underneath her. In front of her, metal bars lined her vision, with a glowing field of pinkish energy behind them. As she stirred, she heard Connie's voice. "Jade? Are you awake?"

Jade nodded. Pearl's voice called out, "thank goodness. I was worried, since you'd just regenerated before we were attacked, that you could have been damaged."

"Where are we?" Connie asked.

Pearl sighed. "We're in the brig of a gem warship. For some reason, we were captured and brought here."

"Pearl," Jade said, "I saw you do it."

"What?"

"Not just _saw_ ," Jade corrected herself, "I lived through it. I was her, the original Jade, seeing through her eyes, in her memory. You betrayed her. You drew your swords on her and attacked. She poofed, and then, she was shattered."

There was silence, for a while. Then, "Oh," Pearl said in a melancholy way, "you have a piece of _her_ gem."

"You did shatter her, didn't you?"

"Please, let me explain."

Jade looked around. "We're in a prison cell. I don't really have anything better to do than listen to what you have to say."

Pearl sighed. "It was over five thousand years ago. The war between Homeworld and the Crystal Gems was raging, and there didn't seem to be any end in sight. Jade—er, not you, the first Jade—was a gem who fought with us, but when we stopped gaining ground, she started to distrust Rose. She came up with a plan. She thought she could preserve Earth's life within herself. She thought if she could absorb it, we could escape, and she could learn to use the life she'd taken to recreate Earth somewhere else. It was a risk we couldn't afford to take. I went to try to reason with her, but she wouldn't listen. So, I had to stop her."

"So, you broke her."

"No. I destroyed her form, so that I could bubble her, keep her in stasis until the war was won, and there wasn't a need for her plan anymore. But, we were being watched. An Emerald, an incredibly high-ranking gem, had found out about her presence among our forces. Realizing that a rogue Jade had the power to drain all of Earth's resources, depriving the Diamonds of more troops, she decided she had to act. She followed us, in secret, to our meeting place. Once I poofed Jade, Emerald struck. I was able to avoid her attack, but...she hit Jade's gem. It shattered to pieces, scattering throughout the field. I had no choice but to run. I couldn't...I couldn't even recover her pieces. By the time Rose and I returned to the scene, they were gone."

Jade sighed, relieved. "So, it was an accident. I'm sorry, Pearl. I shouldn't have accused you like that."

"If you saw from her perspective, I understand why you would." Pearl shook her head. "I blamed myself for centuries for what happened. I still wonder if trying to bubble her was the right move."

Jade and Connie gave Pearl a hug, which she gladly accepted. "I'm not going to judge for that decision," Jade said. "You were in a war, and she was going to make a tough decision for all life on Earth. One that could have very easily ended badly."

Pearl smiled. "Thank you."

Connie looked at the two of them. "So, what's the plan? How are we gonna get out of this?"

Jade responded, "We aren't. Not yet."

"What?"

"They didn't break us or kill you. They captured us. We need to know what they plan to use us for."

"I agree," said Pearl. "We can escape here later, but if we don't know who they are or what they're after, we won't know how to stop them. I'm certain this group isn't working alone."

"One problem," Connie posited. "We don't know how long they're gonna make us wait, and...I'm starting to get a little hungry."

"Oh, don't worry," Pearl assured her, "With how often you and Steven used to get stranded in space, I've started to carry non-perishable foodstuffs in my gem."

"That's good thinking ahead," Jade commented, impressed.

"Indeed," said a regal, sinister voice behind them, "but it's also unnecessary. I was aware of the possibility of human prisoners, so I prepared for it. But, really, now, why are you all sitting on the floor?"


	9. No Plan Survives First Contact With A New Fusion

The group heard fingers snap, and suddenly, the cell was illuminated. All around them, the cell seemed a lot less confined than they thought. It was, unmistakably, still a prison cell, but it was furnished with three quite comfortable-looking chairs. In the center of the cell, a table stood with a feast laid out upon it. The food looked impressive—a full turkey, various vegetables, and a steaming pot of what smelled like delicious, spicy curry. Just outside the cell, looking down on them, was a green gem with wild, spiked hair and an intimidating grin, her mouth lined with sharp teeth. In place of her right eye, she had a gem of rectangular cut. She wore a yellow tiara just above her eyes, giving the illusion of a unibrow.

"Of course," she continued, "I did perhaps overdo it. But, I had no way of knowing how many humans we'd be forced to capture." She looked to Pearl. "Ah, Pink Diamond's rebellious Pearl. It's been a while."

"Not long enough, Emerald," Pearl asserted. "What do you want with us?"

Emerald laughed airily. "With you and the human? Nothing!" She turned to Jade with a wicked grin. "Now,  _ you _ , on the other hand…"

"Me?"

"Yes. When my advance squad reported a Jade shard, I knew I'd finally found the missing piece."

" _ You _ took her shards?!" Pearl exclaimed. "Why?"

Emerald bared her teeth. "Simple. I wanted them for experimentation. And you can't even  _ imagine _ the breakthroughs we've made for the Empire."

"Isn't the Diamond Empire dissolved?" Jade asked.

Emerald waved off the question. "Fools. A little human boy gives them a hug and says he loves them, and suddenly they're all kittens and rainbows!"

"...what?" The three prisoners said at once.

Emerald looked a little deflated. "It's...I thought it was an Earth expression. Ugh. Never mind. Look, the Diamonds have gone soft! They think they can just dismantle the whole gem empire because a child asked nicely? Well, I won't stand for it! Our empire is bigger than them, and if they won't lead it, I will!"

"Well, I'll need to apologize to Yellow and Steven," Jade said drily. "I was definitely wrong as to why Yellow's army was still around. But, what do you want me for?"

The grin returned. "Well, that's because I've done it, of course!"

"Done what?"

"I've figured out how to get a Jade to release energy!"

"Why?" asked Pearl.

"Oh, Pearl, you should  _ know _ why. To build my army, I need more gems. But, usually, gems are made with injectors—and injectors are powered by the discarded essence of a Diamond. But, I've run out of powered injectors. Since those fools refuse to serve the Empire, I needed to get creative. So, I looked for an alternative."

"Jades were made to be a replacement for injectors," Pearl remembered aloud.

Emerald chuckled. "That's right. I've been researching Jades ever since the war on Earth ended in disaster. And now, nearly six thousand years later, I've finally discovered how to complete their purpose—how to get them to release their stored energy to create new gems! I ordered my advance forces to head for Earth immediately, looking for the final, missing shard. Imagine my surprise that they found you, instead! A fully formed Jade, right there! Most fortunate for me. Though, I must say, you're looking a little...off-color."

"And what, now you're going to torture me until I join you?"

"No, of course not. You'd never join us if we tortured you."

"How kind of you," Pearl replied sardonically.

"We're just going to threaten your friends and their planet until you join us," she addressed Jade.

"That's not better!" Jade argued.

Emerald's smirk grew wider. "Sure it is! Look, it's easy. You have two choices. The first choice is that you decide not to join us, and we destroy you  _ and _ your friends  _ and _ your planet, and we find the final shard to make our own Jade to conquer the galaxy with. The second choice—much more reasonable, in my opinion—is for you to agree to join us. We give you a seat of power in our Empire, along with whatever little friends you want to take along for the ride, and we pass by Earth in our conquests. It and its inhabitants get to keep their miserable rock, and their lives."

"A generous offer," Jade joked. "How long do I have to decide?"

Emerald shrugged. "We're gems. I don't have to be in a hurry. I've already waited thousands of years to get this far. But, I wouldn't take too long! I understand humans don't usually even live a century, and your little friend there would  _ probably _ like to see her home again before she dies of old age. There's a bell next to the door, there. Ring it when you're ready to make a deal. Until then, enjoy the accommodations," she laughed as she walked off.

"Jades are supposed to be portable injectors?" Connie asked.

"Yes," said Pearl, "but nobody knew how to get them to release life energy once they'd absorbed it, so only a handful were ever made. Apparently, Emerald has figured out how to fix that. We need to escape and get back to Earth so we can warn the others."

Jade shook her head. "We can't escape yet, Pearl. She has the original Jade's pieces!"

"Are you crazy? It'll be hard enough just to get away, and you want to search the ship for her shards before we go?" Pearl asked incredulously.

Jade pleaded with her. "Please, Pearl. We may not get another chance. If we can get her shards, and if I can learn what Emerald knows, I...I might be able to help her. I might be able to put her back together. Doesn't she deserve that chance?"

Pearl smiled. "You don't even know her, and you're willing to risk that much to help her?"

"Yes. She may not have had a choice, but she saved my life...sort of. I wanna pay her back for that."

"Okay," Pearl said softly, seeming to wipe away a tear, "but we're going to need a plan." She pulled out a chair. "Let's talk while Connie eats."

As the three talked, they decided there were several things they needed to do in order to make a successful escape. They needed to break out of the cell, somehow. They needed to recover Connie's sword. They needed to recover the original Jade's shards. They also needed to find Emerald's research, if it was on the ship somewhere. Finally, they needed a way off the ship and back to Earth. Jade suggested they just take Emerald's ship and strand her and her crew somewhere, but Pearl dismissed that, explaining that Emerald likely had too many soldiers on board. Pearl believed they should take a subtler approach, sneaking around the ship to find what they needed, and making their way to an escape pod. Jade deferred to Pearl's greater experience.

They would split up. Connie and Jade would find Connie’s sword and wait for Pearl at the escape pod while she looked for the original Jade’s shards and documents on Emerald’s research. It was a good plan, they agreed, but with one hitch. “How do we get out of this cell?” Jade asked.

Pearl rubbed her chin. “That’s a good question. Connie wouldn’t be able to make it past these bars, and I’m not sure my spear could cut through them. Even if it could, you and I still wouldn’t be able to get past the force field. And there doesn’t appear to be another entrance or exit.”

“If you  _ could _ cut through the bars, I could pass through the force field and look for a way to shut it down,” Connie suggested.

Jade gave a look of concern. “Are you sure you’d be up for that? You’d be on your own in a ship full of gem soldiers, without a weapon.”

Pearl shook her head. “She’d be fine; there’s going to be a panel on the wall next to the cell that would unlock it. The real question is, where are we going to find something strong enough to cut through those bars?”

Connie had an idea. “Well, how about you two fuse?”

“Fuse?” Jade hadn’t heard of fusing before.

Pearl laughed nervously. “Uh, I’m not sure Jade’s ready for fusion, Connie.”

“I might be,” Jade insisted, “if it gets us out of here. What is fusion?”

“Fusion’s great!” Connie replied. “I’ve fused with Steven before, and it’s amazing! You get to become one person, and you get way stronger!”

Jade frowned. “W-what?”

Pearl pinched the bridge of her nose. “Jade, fusion is a state achieved through an intimate connection between gems.”

“Intimate?” Jade worried.

“Not that kind of intimate. Or...well, it doesn’t  _ have _ to be. Garnet is an example of a romantic fusion, for instance. But others of us fuse through our bonds of friendship. Any relationship between gems can lead to fusion.”

“Garnet is two people?”

“No, not exactly. You see, Jade, a fusion is an experience: two or more people entirely combined into one new person. This new person has the combined strength and powers of each of the people who make them up. Through fusion, the Crystal Gems have been able to overcome significant challenges that we couldn’t face alone.”

“Is it...permanent?”

“It depends on the reason for fusing. Garnet stays fused because Ruby and Sapphire love each other, and want to stay together. Amethyst and I form Opal when we need extra firepower, and all three of us form Alexandrite when things get even more difficult. So, no, it doesn’t have to be permanent.”

“If Connie can fuse, shouldn’t she fuse with us, too?” Jade wondered.

“Actually, I’m kind of a special case,” Connie corrected her. “I can fuse with Steven because he’s half-human. I can’t fuse with full gems.”

“Oh. So, Pearl, if we do this...am I gonna stop existing? Am I gonna disappear?” Jade sounded afraid.

“No, Jade. You’ll still be there, but we’ll be experiencing the world as a single being,” Pearl said, standing up and walking over, placing a hand on her shoulder. “But, it’s up to you. If it sounds too uncomfortable, we’ll find another way out.”

Jade sighed, and stood up. “No, there  _ isn’t _ another way out. As long as you’re saying that I’ll be okay, Pearl, I trust you. What do we have to do?”

“You have to dance!” Connie said, excited.

“Dance? Dance, like, how? I don’t really know a lot of dances.”

“Dancing is just an expression of ourselves; showing others how we feel,” Pearl explained. She took Jade’s hand in hers. “Here. I’ll lead.”

It took several tries. Pearl attempted to lead Jade through the complicated steps of a tango. Each time, Jade tripped or stepped on one of Pearl’s feet, which embarrassed her, but Pearl was patient. Eventually, though, she was able to coach Jade smoothly through. 

Once they had gone through the steps a few times, Pearl looked to Jade, and asked, "You ready?"

Jade nodded, and Pearl took her hand, pulling her close. They stepped and spun with a fury, Jade trusting Pearl as she allowed herself to be lifted in the air, spun around, and set back down. Their legs weaved intricately around one another, straining their concentration to its limit. Jade's body flushed, though she knew it could not be from the strain. That wasn't how gem forms worked. She lifted a leg, wrapping it around Pearl's waist and twirling around her before setting it back down. Finally, Pearl spun Jade fully around, bending Jade’s back over her arm, leaning in close. Jade couldn’t keep herself from blushing. Suddenly, the whole world became light. She couldn’t see anything, and the only thing she could feel was Pearl’s embrace.

“It will be all right,” she thought she heard.

* * *

Charoite opened her eyes. Now standing, Connie stared at her. “You did it!” she shouted. "You fused! What should I call you?"

The gem bent over to introduce herself. "Hello, Connie. I'm Charoite. It's nice to meet you."

"So," Connie asked, "do you think you could break through the bars?"

Charoite smirked. Those thin metal bars were nothing. "Easily," she assured the girl.

"Great! So, if you just cut through them, I can let us out, and you can unfuse, and we can follow Pearl's plan to get everything we need and get out of here!"

Charoite stood, looking at the bars, and then at the wall to the next cell. Metal. More frail metal. Although, it didn't matter the material, really. It was all fragile to her, she understood. "I have a better idea," she said, stepping forward.

"Um...Charoite?"

"Don't worry. I won't keep you from the fun."

Charoite held out her four hands—she had four! How wonderful! She summoned into her hands Jade's staff. What a silly little thing. It wouldn't do, not on its own. Duplicates appeared in the air of Pearl's spear, but she didn't need the hafts. The staff would work nicely. The blades were wrenched from the spears as Charoite grasped the staff, easily separating it into four small sections. She held the pieces out as the blades attached. Ah, now  _ these _ were suitable weapons.

"Cool!" Connie commented.

"Oh, that's nothing," Charoite said, two of her eyes narrowing. "Watch this."

With lightning speed, she drew back her swords and ripped them around her body, generating what appeared to be blades of light in the air. The manifested light sliced through the wall as though it were paper. A section of wall fell into the next cell, hitting the ground with a sonorous clang. She stepped through the hole, and, seeing that this cell was not locked down, called to Connie. "Come on. Let's find your sword."

Connie had stars in her eyes. "Awesome."

They didn’t rush. There was no need. For some reason, an alarm hadn’t yet sounded. Even if it had, it didn’t matter. Charoite could handle anything Emerald could throw at them. She didn’t walk down the halls of the ship, she  _ strutted _ . She  _ deserved _ to strut proudly. There wasn't anyone on this ship more dangerous than she. She was faster and more skilled than any gem soldier, that much she knew. She just hoped she’d get the chance to prove it. She itched to show off.

When they arrived at the ship’s lazarette, she got the chance. They opened the door to the storage chamber, where they were greeted by six Quartz soldiers and three Ruby guards. Connie’s sword hung from the wall on the other side of the room. Charoite said to Connie with a smile, “Leave these ones to me. You can help out once you get your sword back.”

Connie’s reply was left behind. Charoite rushed the gem soldiers as they drew their weapons. It was as though they were standing still. Faster than wind itself, she pranced between them, cutting tremendous, wicked gashes across their forms. Each of the Rubies, she split in half even as they formed up to fuse. In less than half a second, all the gems had poofed. She tossed one of her swords into the air, pulled Connie’s off the wall, and handed it to her. As she caught her thrown sword once more, she sheathed all four of them on her back. “Try and keep up.”

Connie laughed nervously. “Okay, well, that was cool and all, but let’s not get overconfident, okay? We surprised them. We have no way of knowing how many other gems are on this ship, or what kinds there are. We don’t even know what technology they have.”

Charoite scoffed. “The number and type of other gems on the ship is irrelevant. Regardless of who they are, it would be wise of them to stay out of our way. Anyone who tries to keep us from our goals will be  _ cut down _ .”

Connie rolled her eyes as the two returned to navigating the inner workings of the ship. “If you say so.”

They wandered the ship for at least an hour, dispatching guards with ease, thankfully before each group was able to sound the alarm. They left piles of gems on the floor in their wake. Charoite knew it was only a matter of time before they defeated every gem on the ship. Everything was going well, as she knew it would. When they finally found the gem shards they were looking for, Charoite wasn’t even surprised that they were in Emerald’s private quarters. It made sense. Unfortunately, those quarters were empty. It sure would have felt good to cut her down to size. Ah, well. No use getting upset over an easy win. She gathered up the shards from Emerald’s desk as Connie rummaged through it for notes.

As Connie dropped Emerald’s research notes into her bag, she commented, “All right. All we need to do now is get to an escape pod.”

Charoite didn’t  _ want _ to get to an escape pod. She  _ wanted _ to punch Emerald right in her stupid face and take her ship, stranding her on the nearest asteroid. But, she wasn’t so confident that she couldn’t see Connie’s wisdom. They’d gained a lot from this trip. It would be a shame—and an embarrassment—to lose it by risking it all on a grudge. She nodded, and the two made their way to the aft of the ship. This time, they didn’t run into any guards. That was strange. Maybe they'd already poofed them all.

They finally caught sight of the escape pods, and rushed over to one.

“See, Connie? Easy.” Charoite punched some keys on the keypad to unlock the pod. A red light flashed on the pad. “What?” She tried again, and again, and again, but each time the light flashed and a small buzzer sounded.


	10. The Rescue

“I locked down the pods,” Emerald said triumphantly from behind, “so that you couldn’t—”

Charoite was already behind her, swords drawn. However, before they made contact, Emerald discreetly pressed a button on one of her bracers. A horrible screeching noise seemed to come from everywhere, causing Charoite to step back, reeling. Her body began to flash.

“Predictable,” Emerald gloated. “Whenever there’s a problem a Crystal Gem can’t solve, their first thought is always fusion.”

Connie charged Emerald, but was interrupted as a Quartz slammed into her from the side, knocking the wind out of her as she hit the wall. The Quartz picked her up, bear-hugging her to prevent her from reaching her sword.

“So, so predictable.”

The noise grew more and more intense and Charoite’s body flashed faster and faster, until it glowed steadily, and she vanished. Jade and Pearl were flung apart forcibly, but instead of hitting the wall, they hit something else. Some sort of bubble closed around each of them, trapping them inside. The two slammed on the bubbles with their fists.

“There’s no point in struggling, really,” Emerald notified them. “You can’t break those bubbles—they were designed to withstand forces  _ far _ stronger than anything  _ you two _ could muster.”

Jade screamed in frustration, then slumped down and sighed. “I’m sorry, Pearl. I guess you were right. Maybe I wasn’t ready for fusion, after all.”

Pearl stopped banging on her bubble. “No, it’s okay, Jade. You did fine.”

Emerald gave Jade a wide smile. “She’s right, you know. You two didn’t do anything wrong. You were doomed to fail to escape from the beginning. I locked down the escape pods before you were even brought on board. I even prepared for an eventual fusion with a special tool which resonates at a frequency that disrupts it.”

Jade rubbed a hand up against her bubble. It emitted a squeaking noise. Maybe that was something.

“It  _ is _ a shame, though, really. You could have just joined without all this fuss. Then, I wouldn’t have to—”

Jade rubbed the bubble again, causing the squeak a second time.

Emerald continued. “Then, I wouldn’t have to—”

Jade began to rub the bubble faster, putting as much force into it as she could muster. She couldn’t break the bubble with brute strength, but she was fast. There might be another way to weaken its structure.

Emerald growled at the intensified squeaking. “ **_Would you please—_ ** ”

Jade rubbed as fast as her enhanced gem speed would allow. The friction began to heat the side of the bubble, rendering the spot she rubbed weaker and weaker, until finally, it popped. She spilled out onto the floor and rolled up to her feet. There was a heavy sigh from Emerald.

“Congratulations. You made it out of your bubble. Now, don’t take another step, or the human dies,” Emerald warned. The Quartz holding Connie squeezed tighter to emphasize the point.

Jade paused. She wasn’t sure what she was going to do now. She hadn’t thought that far ahead.

“Now, why don’t you be a good girl and agree to join me, and we can let your friends go on their way, hm?” Emerald’s tiara beeped. She growled, pressing another button on her bracers. “What?! Can’t you see I’m busy?”

A gruff voice came from her tiara. “Sorry to disturb you, Admiral! But, see, there’s another ship asking permission to dock…”

She rolled her eye. “It’s probably Aquamarine. Let her dock. I want her to see my prize. And don’t bother me again!” She ended the call.

“Now,” Emerald continued, “about you joining my empire.”

Jade looked to Pearl and Connie. They were shaking their heads. Emerald just stood there, practically beaming in triumph. Jade thought for a moment. There really was only one choice. After all, how important  _ was _ she? She’d only just become a gem recently. And Pearl and Connie were a lot of things to a lot of people. Plus, with the whole Earth on the line?

Jade sighed. “If I agree, you’ll let them take an escape pod and return to Earth safely?”

“Of course,” Emerald said.

“And you’ll spare the Earth an invasion? You’ll leave them in peace?”

Emerald’s razor teeth glistened as her wicked smile grew. “That’s the deal.”

Jade looked at the ground. She couldn’t look Connie or Pearl in the eyes for what she was about to say next. “Fine. It’s a deal. Let them go, and I’ll do what you want.”

“Excellent!” Emerald laughed. “Just to make sure…” She snapped her fingers, and another soldier approached Jade from behind, drawing her hands behind her back and cuffing them. She began to lead Jade back toward her quarters, when suddenly, a trio of Ruby guards came flying around the corner, smacking into the wall behind them and poofing away. Walking around the corner, quite confidently, was Garnet.

“Hello, Jade,” said Garnet. “Hello, Pearl, and hello, Connie. Sorry we’re late.”

“We?” Pearl asked.

From behind Garnet, a somewhat tall, very thin,  _ very _ pink man sauntered into view, his ears adorned with skull gauges, a flowing cape fastened around his shoulders. He winked a scarred eye as he saw Emerald.

“ **_Captain Lars?! Impossible!_ ** ”

He pointed at her with both hands. “Bingo bongo. You know, Emerald, you really should look into changing your docking codes.  _ Someone _ could  _ misuse _ them.”

Connie took the opportunity to wriggle free from the Quartz holding her, grabbing her sword and swiping upward, cutting through the soldier’s physical form and poofing her. She effortlessly cut Jade’s bindings and Pearl’s bubble, freeing them.

Emerald tried to press the button on her bracer to disrupt Garnet’s fusion, but Jade rushed to her in a flash, grasping her arm and hurling her screaming down the hall. She landed upside down, staring in hatred at them. “I’ll get you for this, Captain Lars!” she shouted at the group as they began to walk away. “You and the Earth will pay!”

The man laughed. “Get over yourself, Emerald. You haven’t beaten me yet, and you  _ never _ will.” The group swiftly made their escape back to the man’s ship.

As they took off, Jade finally had the opportunity to speak with the man. “Captain Lars, huh? My name’s Jade. Thanks for coming to rescue us.”

Lars laughed. “Just ‘Lars’, please. I only did the whole ‘Captain Lars’ bit because I knew it’d bother Emerald. Though, it is nice to be back in the helm of the Sun Incinerator again.”

“How did you know we needed rescuing?”

“Well, Garnet told me so. She said that Connie and Pearl and one of their new friends were all in trouble, and that I needed to gather up the Off-Colors right away to chase after you. Said there wasn't even time to pick up Steven, or we'd lose the trail. Oh! Jade, meet the Off-Colors! These are Rhodonite and Fluorite, these are the Rutile Twins, and over there is Padparadscha!”

“Hello!” said Fluorite and the Rutile Twins.

"Uh...hi," muttered Rhodonite.

“I predict,” divined Padparadscha, “that we’ll soon be welcoming back Connie and Pearl—and meeting a new friend!”

Lars chuckled. “Thanks, Padparadscha.”

Jade looked at Lars questioningly. "So, you guys  _ know _ Emerald?"

"Yeah. A while back, I got stuck on Homeworld with the Off-Colors here, and we had to find our way back to Earth. We got into trouble with Emerald a couple of times."

"But...Captain Lars thwarted her every time," Fluorite said proudly.

Jade thought for a moment. "She seemed...almost like she was  _ happy _ to see you, Lars."

Lars snickered. "What? She hates my guts!"

"I know, it sounds silly, but as soon as you appeared, she forgot all about capturing me and killing Pearl and Connie. She was completely distracted."

"I don't know, that sounds—wait, she was after you?"

She shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah. I guess I was designed to act like a gem factory, basically."

Lars scratched his head. "You guess? I thought gems were made knowing what they were made for."

"Well, I'm not exactly a normal gem. I...used to be a human, but then I...died."

Lars sighed. "I know what that's like. I'm sorry that happened."

"Wait, you  _ know _ what that's like?"

Lars grimaced. There was silence for a short time, until Padparadscha interrupted with, "I predict this conversation will take an awkward turn."

Lars smiled. "Dying sucks, huh?"

Jade laughed. "Yeah. At least we're still here, though, right?"

"Yeah. Oh, it looks like Garnet wants to talk to you. I'll, uh, get back to captaining the ship." Lars walked over to the large swiveling chair in the center of the bridge and plopped down like he belonged in it. "Take us home, crew!"

Connie and Pearl were chatting together about their adventure when Garnet approached Jade. “Well,” she commented, “it seems like  _ you’re _ popular all of a sudden.”

“I guess Emerald thinks I’m her army’s new secret weapon,” Jade lamented. “I wanted to help defend the Earth, Garnet, but I didn’t think I’d somehow end up being...I dunno...important?”

Garnet smiled. “Of course you’re important. Every Crystal Gem is important, from those who’ve been with us since the beginning, to all the new ones like you.”

Jade sighed. “You know that's not what I meant. But...I really screwed up today, Garnet.”

“How so? It seems like you did all right to me. You were outmatched—it happens sometimes. That’s why you have friends: to help you get through difficult times.”

“I don’t mean about trying to escape. I mean, I messed up. Pearl and I...fused, and we became someone new, and then that person got overconfident, and I think...I think that’s my fault.”

Garnet nodded, though more in understanding than agreement. “When two gems fuse, their fusion has  _ all _ their qualities, good and bad. A new fusion, unfamiliar with their abilities, is likely to fall upon their strongest ones. You and Pearl can be very confident people, and when that confidence is challenged, you fight even harder. I won’t tell you it isn’t partly your fault. But the blame lies with Pearl, too, and she knows it. Neither of you was in a good position for her to teach you about fusion, but you didn’t have a choice. And you managed to fuse! Even if things didn’t end up the way you were hoping, that’s still cause to celebrate.”

“Garnet...Pearl said that you’re a fusion.”

“I am.”

“That means you know a lot  _ about _ fusion, right?”

“I do.”

Jade rubbed one of her arms nervously. “In order to fuse, Pearl and I needed to dance, and there was this rush, and I could  _ feel _ her, and then we were together, and it felt so  _ good _ and...and…” She gritted her teeth. “Does that mean that Pearl and I...that we…”

Garnet shook her head, laughing. “No, Jade. A fusion doesn’t always have to be romantic. You and Pearl have formed a bond, as master and student. To fuse with one another, you call upon that bond, expressing that intimacy through dance until you become one.”

“That’s good,” Jade said, relieved. “I was worried, because I had just opened up to Lapis and Peridot, and...Wait. Garnet. Do...do you think I could fuse with Peridot and Lapis?”

“If they wanted to,” Garnet offered, with a smile.

“But I...I wouldn’t want to lose control like Pearl and I did. I don’t want to lose control if Pearl and I have to fuse again, either, come to think about it. But, I don’t know what to do. Could you...teach me about fusion?”

"Is that what you want?"

Jade tried hard to look Garnet in the eyes. "I...fusion is the ultimate expression of trust between gems, right?"

"Yes."

"Then...I want to be able to have that. I want to be able to trust, and for you all to be able to trust me, especially Lapis and Peridot. I want to be able to be close with them like I was with Pearl today."

Garnet gave a serious look. "I can help you. But, in order to teach you more about fusion, you will need to fuse with Pearl again. Is that all right with you?"

Jade paused, and then nodded. "If she's okay with it."

"All right. Let me talk to her, and we'll meet you below deck."

She smiled. "Thanks, Garnet." Garnet opened her arms for a hug, and the two embraced for a moment before separating.

Garnet went to speak with Pearl. As Jade walked over to the stairs, Connie ran over. "Oh, hey, Connie. Are you doing all right?"

"Oh, I'll be fine. I maybe got a couple bruises, nothing bad. How about you? Today's been rough for you."

"I feel bad, Connie. Emerald just wanted me, but you and Pearl got dragged along with."

"Ah, don't worry about that! We're all a team—we stick together!" A look passed across her face that Jade wasn't sure how to interpret. "What was it like, fusing with Pearl?"

"Well, it was interesting. I've never fused before. It didn't just feel like we were bigger or stronger, it felt like we were  _ unstoppable _ . I've never felt that close to someone before."

Connie smiled sadly. "That sounds...great."

"Did I say something wrong?"

"No! No, I...I know it might sound stupid, but I'm jealous. I can fuse with Steven, but like I said earlier, I can't fuse with full gems. I've been training with Pearl for years. I was her star student, but then you came along, and now you can fuse with her and I can't. It makes me feel...like I'm not special."

Jade gave her best reassuring look. Poor Connie. It must be hard for her, to know about so many extraordinary things and be unable to experience them for herself. "Connie, that's not stupid at all. I'm sorry. I never meant for you to feel that way. I've just been trying to get a handle on myself and what I can do, and I really just wanted to help."

"It's okay," Connie replied. "I don't blame you. It's just hard, you know?"

Jade nodded. After a short pause, she asked, "Have you tried?"

"What?"

"Have you tried to fuse with Pearl?"

Connie laughed. "What? No, I haven't tried. I told you, I've only fused with Steven!"

Jade shrugged. "But, you  _ can _ fuse."

"So?"

"Well, if you can fuse, why  _ wouldn't _ you be able to fuse with Pearl?"

"Because, to fuse, you need your body to be able to turn into light so it can merge with someone else's body!"

"And that doesn't happen when you fuse with Steven?"

"I...well, yes, but that's different!"

"Different how? Look, I'm not saying I understand fusion a whole lot, Connie. But you can't know how it will go until you try, right? Assuming Pearl would try. I think she would."

"I don't know. How do I know it would even work?"

"Well, you don't. It might  _ not _ work. But if you try it, and it doesn't work, what do you lose?"

"Well...nothing, I guess."

"And if you try it, and it works, then you get a wonderful new experience! You can't lose here, Connie."

"Hm. You know, you're right!" She looked appraisingly at Jade. "You seem different from when we met and how you were on Emerald's ship. More confident."

Jade laughed. "Well, it's always easier to give advice than to follow it yourself."

"You don't follow your own advice?"

Jade smiled knowingly. "Normally, no. But you know, today, I think I will."

Connie gave her a winning smile back. "That's good. I'm gonna go ask Pearl if she'll try to fuse with me when we get back. Thanks for talking to me!"

"No problem."

Garnet and Pearl were already on their way over. Pearl paused to speak with Connie, and Garnet smirked at Jade. "What?" Jade asked.

"That was very nice, talking to her like that."

Jade felt embarrassed. "I don't think I'd call it nice unless it works out for her."

"I thought you said she had nothing to lose."

"Well, yeah...but if it doesn't work, she'll still be disappointed."

"But you said it's worth the risk."

"Yeah," Jade said. "I just really hope things work out okay for her. It seems like things have been tough for all the Crystal Gems over the years. I'd like something nice to happen, after a day like today. Hey, Garnet, you can see the future, can't you? How does it go, when they try?"

Garnet laughed. "Some things, I prefer to leave a surprise, even to me. Come on. Let's go downstairs."


	11. Fusion Lessons Are Lessons About Oneself

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: This chapter contains some minor references to both suicide and self-harm.

Pearl and Jade followed Garnet down below deck. Garnet looked to Pearl. "Now. Pearl. You're sure you're willing to do this?"

Pearl nodded. "Yes. If she needs a partner for this, I'll join her."

Garnet turned her attention between Jade and Pearl as she announced, "Before we begin, there's something you both need to know. This meditation is not easy. You will remember and share things about yourselves with one another that you may not like. But, understanding yourself and your partner is the key to maintaining a stable fusion. Are you prepared?"

Jade and Pearl nodded. "Good. Now, fuse."

Pearl took Jade's hand, leading her through the tango again. They fused in a brilliant display of light, and Charoite stood before Garnet.

"All right. Sit with me." Garnet sat on the floor, adopting a meditative position. Charoite copied her. "Close your eyes. Let the sound of the engine fade, and we'll meet in darkness."

Charoite obeyed. Everything around her seemed to get farther and farther, until she could hear nothing. She opened her eyes. Garnet was still there, sitting across from her, but they no longer appeared to be on the ship. Instead, they sat in a blue void.

"Is this...some kind of meditative space?"

"Yes," Garnet confirmed. "Here, you can confront your fears, in safety, with one another. Here, you and Pearl and Jade can learn to understand one another. Look."

Garnet pointed off in the distance. Something akin to a large screen had appeared. On it, scenes were playing too quickly to catch glimpses of them. "Their memories," Charoite wondered.

"You'll need to dive into them, if you're to understand. Don't be afraid. You're not alone."

Charoite stared at the screen. The moving images slowed until they settled on a scene. At the edge of a cliff, an enormous pink woman with curly hair looked down at Pearl. "If we lose," she was saying, "we'll be killed. And if we win, we can never go home."

"Why would I ever want to go home ," Pearl replied, "if you're here?"

The large woman chuckled. "My Pearl."

The screen filled with static, and another scene appeared. Pearl and the larger woman were speaking behind a large throne. It was clear now that the other woman was Rose Quartz, who once was known as Pink Diamond. “It’s going to be easy!” Rose said.

“There’s got to be another way,” Pearl protested weakly, “I mean, maybe…”

“Blue and Yellow don’t care,” Rose asserted, “They never have! This is Pink Diamond’s colony. We can end it all right here, right now.”

“You know this is crazy, right?” asked Pearl.

Rose nodded.

Pearl continued, “Your status...my purpose...none of it will matter anymore.”

Rose nodded again.

Pearl looked apprehensive. “This will change everything.”

“I know! Isn’t it exciting?”

Pearl sighed and blushed. “It is.”

“We can leave our old lives behind! If this is really my world, I want to give it to the Crystal Gems. I want to live here with human beings! I want to live here with you! We’ll both finally be free!”

Pearl waited a moment, then replied, “Okay. I’m ready.”

After a hug, Rose assumed the form of Pink Diamond, creating what appeared to be replicas of gem shards. Pearl assumed Rose’s form, cutting through Pink’s body with a sword, poofing her and palming her gem. She scattered the shards to make it appear as though Rose had shattered Pink Diamond, and the scene went to static once again.

The next scenes happened a very long time later, in quick succession, telling a story. A young man seemed to be attempting to woo Rose...and succeeding. The two became close, and Pearl felt pushed away. Finally, Rose had a child, giving up her physical form to give birth to Steven. Pearl was devastated. She finally reconciled with Greg, but she knew, deep down, the pain was still there. It would always be there.

That was what unrequited love was like.

Charoite frowned very deeply. It seemed she was close to tears. “Pearl’s been through a lot,” she said.

Garnet nodded. “Yes, she has. But, Pearl is only half of you. For a true, stable fusion, this sharing doesn’t just go one way. We know what Pearl was willing to share with you. How much is Jade willing to let you see?”

Charoite turned back to the screen. The image on screen startled her. Jade did not appear. Instead, a young man was there, looking in the mirror, sighing. He was shaving, preparing for a day he didn’t think he was ready for. He didn’t think he was ready for most days. He saw his face in the mirror, and he hated it. He didn’t understand why. It was just  _ wrong _ . It was a bad face, he thought. An ugly one.

The scene changed. The young man was speaking to a young woman, looking forlorn. The woman had exposed her arms, showing an array of old scars—and a few new wounds. She held a small razor blade in her hand. “This is your fault!” she screamed. “I’m doing this because of you!” The young man fell to his knees and then sat on the floor. He couldn’t say anything. He just cried. It  _ was _ his fault, wasn’t it? If he were just good enough, she would stop.

Another few flashes of static. Brief bouts of happiness between the young man and the young woman. A trip to an amusement park. A passionate kiss under the stars. A brief, simple wedding day in an empty courtroom. 

Then, more static. An array of scenes played out, each with a similar theme. The young man, rushing home. Turning the key on the door’s lock. Placing his hand on the doorknob. Turning the knob. Slowly opening the door. Panicking, holding back tears, breathing heavily, hoping his love would be on the other side of the door—still alive.

More difficult days. Each day, he did his best. Each day, the two of them wore down even more. Each day, he didn’t know if they’d both make it to the end. He could make it, he thought, if only he were good enough. If only he were good enough, he could make things work.

The day came. The young woman decided that it was time to leave. The time had come to say goodbye. It destroyed him. He toiled, broken and alone, at a life he no longer thought had value.

Then, a light. On a whim, the young man put together a costume; the costume of a woman. He put on the costume, and, for reasons he couldn’t understand, added makeup. The woman he was imitating did not wear makeup, but it somehow felt like what he should do. He crafted his guise as expertly as he could, not understanding what he was doing.

He looked in the mirror. He saw his face, bright, smiling, and beautiful. Finally, for the first time in his life, he truly understood.  _ He _ was  _ she _ .

Charoite faintly heard a name—a name that fell to nothing as she tried to pronounce it. A name that didn’t matter anymore. That name couldn’t bind this new young woman. She had decided upon a new name for herself. A beautiful name, for a beautiful woman. A precious name, for a woman who was precious. A name that made her feel proud. She looked in the mirror each day as her body changed, as her face changed, and slowly, little by little, she learned to love herself.

Charoite fought back her tears valiantly. “They have...both struggled much,” she said.

Garnet, after a pause, responded, “Yes. And their struggles are a part of you. Now, they are a part of each other.  _ This _ is fusion. People, together, removing the lines that separate them from one another.”

The two sat in silence for a while. It may have been only minutes, or it may have been hours. Eventually, Charoite unfused.

As Pearl sat up, there were some tears in her eyes, which she deftly wiped away as she sniffled. Jade, however, was in shambles on the floor, bent over and sobbing. Garnet moved to help her, but Pearl was there first. She reached out a hand for Jade to grasp. Instead, Jade turned toward Pearl and rushed into her arms, sniffling and crying, tears gushing down the shoulder of Pearl's jacket. “There, there,” Pearl said, patting Jade on the back as they embraced. “It’s all right.”

Garnet decided to remain quiet and allow them their moment.

“I...thought…” Jade struggled to say through sniffs and sobs, “I thought I had...overcome...that I had...forgotten…”

“It’s all right,” Pearl repeated.

“Why?” Jade asked pathetically. “Why does it still hurt so much? I’ve talked...before about it with people...why does it still hurt?”

Pearl began stroking her hair to calm her. “Because that wasn’t the same kind of sharing you get from talking. When you tell someone something, you share a thought. You share information. When you fuse, you share your  _ feelings _ . You feel them, all over again.”

Jade began to laugh as she cried. “You know...even after that...I still want to fuse...with Lapis and Peridot,” she said, looking at Pearl through blurry eyes. “Isn’t that stupid?”

Pearl gave her a motherly smile, wiping Jade’s eyes with her jacket. “No, it’s not stupid. It’s love.”

“Love  _ is _ a little stupid sometimes,” Garnet offered, to break the tension. She joined the hug.

* * *

Back on her flagship, Emerald spoke with her lieutenant, Aquamarine. She was, surprisingly, calm. “A minor setback,” she posited.

Aquamarine disagreed. “Your prized Jade got away, and once again, you’ve allowed your nemesis, Captain Lars, to escape unharmed! One might think you’ve gone  _ soft _ for him,” she accused.

Emerald snorted. “Hardly! You’re not thinking far enough ahead, Aquamarine! Yes, the Jade escaped with the Pearl and the human, but they took the remaining shards with them. The Jade must know where the final shard is being hidden. Once the shards are all together, we’ll capture the Jade  _ and _ the shards, and we can bring up  _ two _ fully operational gem production units!”

Aquamarine rolled her eyes. “She won’t listen to you, not now that she has so many friends around to protect her. You’ve wasted an opportunity!”

Emerald bared her teeth. “That’s where you’re wrong, Aquamarine. That’s where you’re wrong. You see, there’s more than one way to  _ break a gem _ .”

In her hand, she held a small, pink cylinder. She began to laugh maniacally as the ship’s radar indicated that others were arriving. It was time to muster her forces.

* * *

Steven frowned. Yellow Diamond explained, “I’ve tried to contact them, but my messages aren’t being answered. I think they’re ignoring me. Your new friend may have been wrong.”

He sighed. “All right. I guess for now, we just...wait and see what they do.”

Yellow shrugged. “I’m sure they’ve learned their lesson about attacking Earth if you beat them as handily as you say you did. I—”

She was interrupted as Blue Diamond and White Diamond burst in through her door. “Are you talking to Steven in there? Hello, Steven!” they shouted.

Yellow sighed. “Yellow Diamond, out.” She cut the feed.

Steven shook his head and rolled off his bed. He’d gotten a lot of bad news today. Yellow couldn’t get in contact with her old armies, and to make things worse, they’d captured Connie and Pearl, and the new gem. He would have gone to rescue them, but by the time he’d found out, Lars had already brought them back.

He made his way to the warp pad. Connie had texted him, saying she had something she wanted him to see. The text had an exclamation point in it, so she was probably in good spirits, despite her unwanted space voyage. He warped to the ancient sky arena and walked through the doors. There, he was greeted by Amethyst, Garnet and Jade, who were seated in the stands.

“Steven, have a seat,” Garnet said. “They’re about to start.”

“About to start what?”

“You’ll see,” Garnet replied.

Jade sat staring into the arena, nervously biting her lip. “I  _ hope _ you’ll see, anyway.”

He laughed, taking a seat. “Jade? What is this?”

“Garnet’s right, don’t jinx it. Let’s just say I have a hunch.”

Amethyst shrugged at him. “I dunno what they’re talking about, but they said it was gonna be interesting.”

He shrugged. “Okay.”

Pearl and Connie stepped out into view from opposite ends of the arena. They did not turn to the stands to greet Steven or the others. They stopped a few paces from each other and bowed.

“Wait—” Steven began, but Amethyst shushed him.

Connie and Pearl began to dance. They circled one another, stepping in unison. They twirled and leapt over and over, extending arms as though they were fighting some invisible enemy together with invisible weapons. Their circle became tighter and their movements became faster, still in perfect sync. Finally, with one last leap, they grasped each other’s hands and landed together on the ground, Pearl holding Connie in a tight embrace.

The stands were silent. Jade frantically bounced her legs up and down, hoping, praying for what might come next. And it came.

Pearl and Connie were enveloped by light. Their lights intertwined, flashing brilliantly, nearly blinding the others. When the light cleared, there she was. A new, impossible fusion between gem and human. She stood at Garnet’s height, tall and proud. Her black hair fell flowing to her waist, orange streaks running through it. She wore a short, brown jacket with a formal shirt underneath, and comfortable jeans. She smiled brightly, blinking with two human eyes and two gem eyes, flourishing her four arms as she bent down in an elaborate bow.

Everyone stood and cheered, except for Steven, who was too dumbfounded to move or speak. The fusion summoned an ornate pale sword, pointing it at Jade.

“Spar?” she asked simply, with a smirk.

Jade, delighted, dashed out into the arena and summoned her staff. She blocked attacks from the fusion fluidly, the two attacking and defending in an intricate dance of their own. She knew the fusion was holding back her strength to appeal to the crowd, but she didn’t care. It had worked! “So,” she said happily, between strikes, “what should we call you?”

“Hm,” the fusion said, lazily slapping aside the staff as she rubbed her chin. “Call me…’Coerl’, I think.”

“I like it,” Jade agreed.

Coerl broke through Jade’s defenses, smacking her with the hilt of the blade and sending her flying. “Oh! Sorry! Are you okay?”

Jade, however, was laughing. At this point, she allowed Garnet to help her up as Steven and Amethyst rushed over to Coerl. Garnet smiled. “Surprises are fun,” she said.

“Yeah.”

Steven was over the moon. “Oooooh my gosh! You two  _ fused _ ! That’s  _ amazing _ ! When did you—how did you—this is amazing!”

Amethyst admired Coerl’s form. “Dang, girl, you look great! And that sword? Awesome!”

Garnet and Jade watched them chat. “Look at them, Garnet,” Jade commented. “They look so happy.”

“Mhm. You did a good job.”

“Me? I didn’t do anything…”

“You did. You encouraged Connie to try to achieve a dream, despite her worries. Despite that she thought it was impossible.”

“I guess so. I wondered if it might be possible. I  _ wanted _ it to be possible. She seemed to want it so badly.”

“You sound sad when you say that,” Garnet observed. “Why?”

Jade sighed. “Everybody has dreams they couldn’t make come true, Garnet. Sometimes they didn’t try hard enough. Other times, something got in the way. Sometimes it was just impossible to begin with.”

“You’re still thinking about the memories that surfaced during your meditation as Charoite.”

“A little. Pearl and I are a lot alike. We’ve both given a lot, and lost a lot more. We both spent most of our lives not understanding who we were—not even  _ caring _ , because we had someone else we focused on. I want Connie to be happy because I’d like everyone to be happy,” Jade reasoned, turning to make eye contact. “But I want Pearl to be happy even more. Because we’ve been through a lot of the same things, and if Pearl can be happy... _ I _ can be happy.”

Garnet laughed. “Jade, Pearl’s  _ already _ happy. You need to do what you said—focus on  _ your _ happiness. Stop worrying so much about other people. They’ll ask for your help when they need it.”

Coerl unfused. Steven hugged Connie, who took his hand and rushed over to Jade while Amethyst and Pearl laughed about the event. Connie gave Jade a big hug. “Thank you for talking me into this,” she said.

As Steven joined the hug, Jade became a little choked up. She turned to Garnet. “I feel pretty happy right now,” she admitted.


	12. The Best At Dates

For a while, the Crystal Gems prepared for an attack. They still had their moments of leisure, but tried their best to always be on their guard in case Emerald’s army showed up to invade the Earth again.

Emerald didn’t come. After a month, everyone relaxed a little. Jade had asked Bismuth, Lapis, and Peridot to help her build a greenhouse. She grew dozens of species of beautiful flowers there, sitting and poring over Emerald’s research notes in the light of the sun. She still spent her nights looking out at the stars and the ocean from atop the lighthouse, Steven occasionally joining her. She still spent her mornings training with Pearl, in case Emerald should show herself. She, Peridot, and Lapis enjoyed the time they spent together, soaking up sun on the beach and playing in the ocean, soaring around the world (both holding on to Lapis for dear life), and hanging out with the other Crystal Gems from time to time. Jade hadn’t discussed fusion with them, yet. She had some things she wanted to take care of, first.

One of those things, she would take care of today. She sat in her greenhouse garden, closing her eyes, trying to loosen herself from the sensation of the world. She wanted to communicate with the original Jade, and so, rather than asking someone to poof her, she took the much less violent route of trying meditation. The waves crashed against the shore. Seagulls cried as they soared through the air. Tourists shuffled on the boardwalk, snapping photographs as they went. Slowly, it all started to fade away.

She opened her eyes and saw the field she’d seen so many times in her dreams. This time, though, she was purple, as she should be. “Jade?” she asked cautiously. “Are you here? Can you hear me?” In response, a green mist, roughly in the shape of a person, materialized.

_ The intru—Jade had returned. Caution, but not too much. Perhaps she  _ was _ telling the truth about not meaning harm. “Yes, Jade. I am here.” _

“I don’t...I don’t really know how aware you are of what’s going on in the outside world.”

_ “Is that a question?” _

“I guess so.”

_ “I have no senses. Not anymore, since I was torn from myself, fragmented. But when you fused...I sensed...memories.” _

“Whose memories? Mine? Or Pearl’s?”

_ “Difficult to say.” _

“Pearl didn’t shatter you, Jade. Emerald did.”

_ “A shatterer she is not, no. But, she did betray me. It is because of her that I am as I am now.” _

Jade sighed. “I...I know. Look, I’m sorry that happened. But listen, I’m going to try to make it right.”

_ “You mean well, Jade. But you cannot make this right. I am gone. This specter of myself remains, but no more.” _

“I know it might feel like that, but I found the rest of your shards!”

_ “So it would seem. But what good could that do now? What is broken cannot be made whole. Gems can be made, and gems can be undone, but gems cannot be remade.” _

Jade shook her head. “I don’t think that’s true. I’ve been reading Emerald’s research notes. She found a way to fix your gem. She...was also going to try to use us to bolster her armies, but, uh, let’s table that thought for the time being.”

_ “Fix me? How?” _

“Well, we were meant to absorb life. I think doing so can regenerate your gem. When you absorbed me, your shard created an entire gem for itself to be part of: me.”

_ “And how much life will you doom to accomplish this?” _

“I’m working on something,” Jade answered. “It’ll take some more time, and more care, but I think it’ll be enough. But...I need to know if you’re okay with this.”

_ “You ask if I wish to be whole again?” _

“Okay, maybe it’s a dumb question, sure, but yes. I didn’t really  _ get _ a choice as to whether or not I got a second chance at life. I wanna make sure you do.”

_ “Why?” _

“Why am I doing this? Or why do I wanna make sure you have a say?”

_ “Yes. Both.” _

“I...well, you saved me. But you didn’t get to choose to save me or not. I didn’t get to choose to be saved. Changes like these are big. You should be able to choose when your life changes dramatically, sometimes.”

Jade awaited an answer for a long time. After an extended pause, it came.

_ “I would very much like to be whole again, Jade.” _

Jade smiled, approaching the mist, giving it what she thought was close enough to a hug. “All right. Just give me a little more time.”

_ Perhaps, indeed. _

* * *

The next afternoon, Jade was busying herself planting more flowers in her garden. The summer was nearly halfway through, and she still suspected there weren't enough. She'd get there before fall, though. She would make sure of it. After all, she had made a promise. She was watering the plants when Steven walked in.

"Hello, Steven," she greeted him warmly.

"Wow," he observed, "your garden's getting prettier by the day. You're really taking good care of it."

"Thanks. It's very special to me."

She moved to water another plant, and Steven caught a glimpse of something odd: a lavender bubble, floating in the middle of the garden, full of green gem shards.

"Whose shards are those?" he asked sadly.

"They belong to the original Jade."

"This is a lovely place for them to rest."

Jade smiled. "They won't be resting for long. Steven, if I were to lose a small sliver of my gem, is that something your healing powers can fix?"

"Uh...yes, as long as it isn't too big. Why?"

"Great. Because I have a plan. I think I can restore her gem."

" **What?!** "

"I need all her pieces, and I'll need your help. I'm not ready yet, but I'm close. Will you help me?"

Steven laughed. "Absolutely! This is great! If you can figure out how to put a shattered gem back together, we could even fix all the Crystal Gems shattered during the war!"

"Well, let's not get our hopes up before we know it works," Jade cautioned.

"Sure," Steven said with a smile. "Oh! Speaking of plans, you should come with me! I've got a surprise for you!"

"A surprise for me?"

"Yeah! Come on, let's head to the temple. I think you'll love it!"

Jade laughed, following him out of the greenhouse to Little Homeworld's warp pad. They warped to the pad in Steven's home, in front of the temple where Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl lived. "All right, let's see what this surprise is."

"Hold on a second," Steven said as he rushed up the stairs to his room. When he came back down, he said proudly, "Tah-daaah!"

He was holding an elegant, deep green gown. The front of the gown was short, likely only to reach Jade's thighs, at best, but the back was long and flowing. A muted blue trim adorned the edge of the dress, and it had a slight ruffling on its strapless top.

"What—"

Steven handed her the dress. "Take this into the bathroom and go change."

"What? But, wh—"

"No buts! Go!"

Jade laughed, but obeyed. She came back out looking fairly pleased. The colors and shape complemented her form incredibly well. "Where did you even find this?" she asked.

Steven smiled. "Pearl made it. Once we told her our plan, she started right away! She spent all night on it."

"Our plan?"

"Yeah. Connie and I wanted to pay you back for helping her and Pearl fuse."

"I—oh, Steven, you didn't have to—"

"No arguments," he insisted. "Connie! She's ready!" he shouted up to his room.

"Ready for what?" Jade questioned nervously.

Connie came walking down the stairs, stopping halfway. She looked back up and giggled. "Come on!"

Behind her, two figures descended the stairs. One was Peridot, sporting a cute yellow sundress with lacy lining. She walked a little awkwardly in her heeled shoes, but did her best to look confident. She practically glowed.

Following Peridot was Lapis, wearing an incredibly handsome black tuxedo-style suit, complete with a white formal shirt and red boutonnière. She strode down the stairs as though she owned them, a slight smile on her face.

They looked absolutely wonderful.

"What is this?" Jade asked, laughing.

Peridot rushed over to her, nearly tripping in her excitement. "We've been talking to Steven and Connie, and we figured since you said you miss being human sometimes, Lapis and I would take you on a human date!"

Lapis smiled, taking Jade's hand. "Steven and Connie planned it all out for us."

Steven pulled out a paper. "We sure did! First off is dinner—"

"I'm not putting human food into my mouth," Lapis interrupted, not dropping her smile.

He pulled out a pen and crossed out something. "Okay. Skipping dinner, then. So, that makes the first thing...a romantic movie!"

"Oh-oh-oh!" Peridot interrupted. "I picked the movie!"

Steven laughed and nodded. "And Peridot picked the movie. After the movie we have scheduled...a trip to Funland, and then a private concert on the beach, followed by...well this last one's a surprise."

"I'm getting a lot of surprises today, apparently," Jade said suspiciously.

"Trust me," Lapis cooed, giving her a kiss on the cheek, "you'll love each and every one."

Peridot cleared her throat, tapping her foot with her arms crossed, facing Jade but looking away. Jade giggled, picked her up, and kissed her. She spun around and each of them kissed Lapis on an opposite cheek, causing her to laugh and blush.

Steven and Connie set them up in the living room, a large screen pulled in front of the kitchen, projecting a movie onto it. Predictably, Peridot had chosen  _ Camp Pining Hearts: The Movie _ . However, it was unexpectedly a lot of fun. Jade suspected part of the fun was how Lapis and Peridot would, in unison, occasionally belt out lines as they were spoken, since they'd both seen the movie many times before. A lot of the fun was just being able to sit close to them on the couch.

Once the movie was over, Steven and Connie dropped them off at Funland. Steven said they needed to go speak with his dad about the concert later.

The three spent a great deal of time at the amusement park. Though none of the rides were intense enough for any of them to consider exciting, each one had something to offer, from cramped spaces where they huddled close to beautiful views of the boardwalk and the beach. They each shared a kiss with one another atop the ferris wheel.

Jade was already elated. She hadn't been on a date in ages, and now she was on one with two just absolutely wonderful people! The sun began to set in the distance, signaling that it was close to time for the concert to start. The trio made their way to the beach, where the local band Greg managed was setting up.

Steven checked up on them to see how they were doing, but Jade's grin said it all. "This concert is gonna be great," he assured her. " _ Sadie Killer and the Suspects _ are friends of mine, and they're really good!"

Connie laid out a beach blanket for them to sit at, and she and Steven set up their own blanket, as well. The two groups of dates enjoyed an arrangement of energetic rock songs, which they couldn't help but move to. After what seemed like their tenth song, Steven gave a thumbs-up to Greg, who was fiddling with the stage lighting. Greg returned the gesture and flipped a switch. Suddenly, two spotlights were pointed away from the stage—one at Steven and Connie, and one at Jade, Lapis, and Peridot.

Jade's face flushed. "I-I-I-what is this?" she stammered.

Lapis took one of her hands and Peridot took the other. "This is the surprise," Peridot announced. "Dance with us."

The band started to play a more mellow song. Jade couldn't hear the words. It was all she could to to focus on her dates as they all weaved around each other, Lapis twirling both of them around one after the other. Jade was certain she looked ridiculous, but with the smiles on everyone's faces, she knew it didn't matter. The song continued, but as the music rose toward a crescendo, Steven and Connie lit up and became Stevonnie, their fused form. And, if Jade had any doubts as to what this was about, they were gone now.

Peridot spun, leaning backward into Jade at the end of her spin, who caught her and spun herself. She was caught, in turn, by Lapis, and as the three of them touched, they, too, were engulfed in light. Jade allowed herself to fall into them, into their embraces as they fell into hers, at last becoming one person, together.

In the place of the three gems, a tall figure stood. The figure was covered by a long green robe, her face cloaked by the darkness the robe's hood afforded her. Within that hood, four points of blue light flashed as she opened her eyes. She pulled back the hood to reveal soft, violet skin with long lavender hair, braided with yellow strands. On each side of her face, a slit curled upward and opened to reveal two mouths full of shining teeth. She stretched, allowing all six of her arms to flex.

Tanzanite felt  _ incredible _ . Standing a tremendous fifteen feet tall, she looked down at the band. They were staring, now, and so was Greg. Even Stevonnie was staring. She gave them all a big, two-mouthed grin, and said, "Oh, is the concert over? Or...are you up for an encore?"

Stevonnie and Tanzanite danced as the band started up again. They played another three songs before everyone finally got tired. Stevonnie and Tanzanite ended up talking for a while about fusion, but eventually, they unfused.

Steven was too excited not to approach, asking Jade, "So, what did you think?"

Jade's eyes were full of tears. She looked to Lapis and Peridot, who were sidled up next to her on either side. "It was perfect," she managed to choke out.

That night, Lapis and Peridot joined Jade's habitual stargazing atop the lighthouse.

"I'd say that was a pretty good human date," Lapis offered.

"I'll say!" Peridot agreed. "We're the best at dates!"

Jade laughed. "You really are. When I first talked to the two of you about...about all three of us, I was worried. But over time, I think I realized that we really can all love each other. I realized that...that I can still fall in love."

The two other gems just leaned in close.

Looking up, Jade commented, "The moon sure looks beautiful tonight."

Lapis thought for a moment. "Well...would you like to go there?"

Jade laughed again. "What?"

"I'm serious! I can fly the two of you there right now!"

Jade looked to Peridot, confused. "Well," Peridot said, "there isn't much  _ on _ the moon, other than the old Diamond base, but the view of the Earth from there is probably pretty great this time of day."

"All right," Lapis said with a bubbly air, "it's settled. Grab Peridot and hold on tight!"

Lapis sprouted wings, grasping Jade underneath her arms as she snatched Peridot and pulled her close. She shot up into the air, faster than Jade thought possible for her. Looking back, it wasn't long before they were already out of the atmosphere. They rushed toward the moon, which quickly seemed to grow until it encompassed their entire field of vision. Lapis chose a relatively flat spot to set down, gesturing back toward the Earth.

Peridot was right. The scene was breathtaking. A big, blue marble, covered in white clouds, broke through the darkness of space. Everyone Jade used to know...every human who had ever been had lived and died on that marble. It seemed like such a small thing, from here. Little, beautiful, fragile, and precious. To her, becoming a Crystal Gem had meant feeling like a hero, and feeling like she had somewhere she belonged. She did feel like she belonged, when she was around Lapis and Peridot. But, that wasn't because she was a Crystal Gem. Even through her lovestruck haze, she realized as she stared at that fantastic little ball of life that it really did need protecting. So much could happen.

She had friends. She had love. She had purpose. And ahead of her, she had a nearly infinite expanse of time to celebrate those things. She turned to Lapis, who gave a confused look before Jade grasped her head, pulling her in and kissing her with all the passion she could muster. Lapis returned the passion gladly. Then, she did the same with Peridot, who blushed furiously, falling limp in Jade's arms. She wanted to remember this day. She would treasure it forever.


	13. How To Fight With Noodle Arms And Super Speed

The three spent the night inside of the old Diamond base on the moon. Jade was awed by its architecture, with Peridot explaining the significance of the Diamond reliefs in the main hall, the functions the base served, and the purpose of each piece of equipment within. Although the Diamonds' intent for Earth was sinister, the culture and technology Peridot described was fascinating.

Under their tyrannical rule, the Diamonds fought to suppress individuality among gems. "How did a culture that was so stymied by obsessive control develop such advanced technology?" asked Jade.

Peridot shook her head. "You're underestimating the power of being born knowing your purpose is to be creative, even if you're supposed to use that creativity for someone else's benefit."

"And the motivating factor of a possible shattering hanging over your head if you don't do your job," Lapis added.

Jade grimaced. "Sorry. You probably don't like talking much about the Empire, do you, Lapis?"

She shrugged. "I mean, they trapped me in a mirror for thousands of years, but the Crystal Gems didn't free me from it for thousands of years even though they knew someone was trapped in it."

"Oh...Lapis, that's horrible."

"Technically I also held her prisoner for a while, too, but I think she's forgiven me for that," Peridot mentioned. Lapis rolled her eyes.

"Listen, Jade. My past is my problem. Not yours, and not yours either, Peridot. It's for me to deal with."

Jade and Peridot shared a worrying glance. "Lapis," Jade explained, "that's not true. I...we both  _ love _ you. Yeah, you do have to deal with your own past, but that doesn't mean we aren't allowed to help. That doesn't mean we aren't allowed to care. Listen, remember how I said Pearl and I fused to escape Emerald's ship?"

"Yeah." Lapis rubbed her arm. "You said it was difficult, because you thought the fact that you failed was your fault."

"Well, later, I talked to Garnet about fusion. She helped Pearl and I meditate as Charoite, and we both saw some pretty difficult, private stuff from our pasts. The lesson there for me was I shouldn't be afraid to share. It was something I needed to know, in order to make sure any fusion I might have with the two of you would be...stable, was what Garnet said."

Peridot frowned. "You waded through all the most painful moments in your life...just to make sure you knew how to fuse with us?"

"I...well...yeah."

"But, didn't that hurt?" Lapis wondered.

"Of course it hurt," Jade affirmed, "but it was something I had to do. Those painful moments? They're a part of me. They're from the past, and I don't like them, but they  _ are _ a part of the journey I've taken. The same with each of you. Fusion is this... _ amazing _ connection, one where we can  _ feel _ each other, where we all literally complete each other as a whole new person! I want us to be able to share the good and the bad about ourselves. We have to feel our feelings for ourselves, yeah. We have to deal with them ourselves, yeah. But we don't have to  _ be _ alone."

Lapis and Peridot looked to one another, then back at Jade. They appeared apprehensive. But Peridot spoke up. "Not being alone in how we feel sounds...appealing."

Lapis bit her lip. "I…"

Jade tried to give a comforting smile. "It's all right either way, Lapis. To share our pain...it's a big ask."

Lapis gave a hopeful look back. "As long as the three of us share together...I think we'll be okay."

Peridot inquired, "So...what are we supposed to do?"

"There's a meditation Garnet taught me. But first, we'll need to fuse again."

After Jade explained the process, the three reformed Tanzanite, who spent the rest of the night meditating, learning, and sharing. She took it all in, as she knew those who made her up would take it all in. But she understood. She didn't need to cry. The memories were sad, but they were also happy. Happy, because they could be shared. Because none of them needed to be sad alone.

As she knew the sun would soon rise above the quiet town of Beach City, Tanzanite spread enormous, brilliant blue wings of water and smiled two wide grins. It was time to return home. One of them had an appointment in the morning. She landed in the center of the ancient sky arena just as Pearl was making her way in.

Pearl gave a knowing smile as she landed. That she wasn't surprised meant Steven had spoken with her afterward. "I take it the date went well," she assumed.

Tanzanite beamed. "It went wonderfully."

"I'm glad," Pearl responded, still smiling.

The two stood for a moment, not saying anything. Pearl cleared her throat.

"Oh! Right. Well, I don't think I'm ready to split quite yet, Pearl. Sorry about that, I know you normally train with Jade about this time. It just feels good to be me, today."

Pearl nodded, smiling wider. "I understand. Well...would you like to see what you can do? Might as well not let the training time go to waste, right?"

Tanzanite cracked her knuckles. "You know, that's probably a good idea. One day they might decide to form me for more than just a date." She pulled up her hood. "The holograms?"

"Yes," Pearl confirmed. "How many?"

Tanzanite thought for a moment. "Can you do eight?"

Pearl looked hesitant. "Eight? Are you sure?"

Tanzanite held out one of her hands, summoning Jade's staff. She twirled it as she used another hand to wrench a great deal of water vapor out of the air and commanded it to wrap around her hand. She ended the flourish of the staff by touching the end with that hand, pulling it away in a sweeping motion. As she did, the water around her hand drained away, depositing as an ugly block of ice protruding away from the haft. She then flicked the ice block with a finger, blowing away a large portion of it, leaving an intimidating, curved blade perpendicular to the staff in its place.

"We can  _ start _ with eight, at least."

Pearl laughed nervously, summoning some holograms. "Y-you got it."

Charoite might be a braggart, but Tanzanine believed she knew her limits. She should be able to take virtually any number of Pearl-sized opponents. She had the speed, and her size gave her power enough to cut through anything with her scythe. Still, it was best to put that to the test. "If I beat each group, please summon more with the next one, until you reach your limit or I do."

"How will I know you've reached your limit?"

"When I drop my scythe," Tanzanite decided, "I've surrendered. Trust me. I know when to stop."

Eight Pearl holograms charged, but before they could even get close, all of them were cut to shreds. Tanzanite flourished her scythe. "More, please," she requested.

Pearl summoned ten holograms, but the result was barely any different. Eleven, twelve, thirteen...none of them could get within arm's reach of her. Finally, after she felled fifteen holograms in one swipe, Pearl threw up her hands. "All right, fine, you were right. I can't make any more than that."

Tanzanite nodded. "Can you summon a single larger one?"

Pearl rubbed her chin. "I believe I can. Are you thinking…?"

"Yes. How large of a hologram can you summon?"

"Um...at best, maybe twenty feet tall?"

"All right. Please summon one that's two feet taller than normal. If I defeat one, add two feet to the next one until I can no longer best them."

"Or until I can't make them larger?" Pearl tried to finish.

"Hm, no, I don't think we'll get to that point. I have a hunch."

In succession, Pearl summoned larger and larger holograms. Each time, they drew closer and closer to Tanzanite before she dispatched them. Finally, when one was just a hair taller than her, it broke through. Though she dodged the attack, it cut through her cloak and she dropped her scythe.

"Challenger defeated," the hologram announced before disappearing.

Pearl frowned. "Well...that one wasn't very big yet, at all. I could have made one much bigger."

Tanzanite nodded. "This was an expected outcome. Smaller gems are easier for me to defeat, because of the reach my scythe grants me. As they get larger, it gets more and more difficult to strike before they are in range to strike me. Even more important is the fact that, although I have the ability to move tremendously quickly, a gem doesn't lose speed when it is enlarged. If anything, it will move faster, proportional to its size."

Pearl rubbed her chin. "But...shouldn't you still be faster than most other gems your size?"

"Yes, but proportionally speaking, other gems will also grow in strength. The three who make me up—Lapis, Peridot, and Jade—are not very strong by themselves. Together, I'd guess I'm only as strong, perhaps, as Garnet. Maybe even weaker than that."

Pearl was nodding now. "Ah, that makes sense. So, even though you're faster, your attacks will have less effect if your opponent can simply bat them away."

"Exactly. Against an opponent of my size or larger, the best I could do would be to dodge and either to flee, or to stall until someone stronger was able to step in."

"You're certainly very different from Charoite," Pearl observed.

Tanzanite shrugged. "Different gems, different fusion. If I had  _ your _ skill, like she does, then perhaps I would be more confident." She laughed. "But, I've taken up enough of your time. I'm sure Jade would still like to get some training in today, anyway. It was very nice to meet you, Pearl."

"...you too, Tanzanite."

She unfused, her light becoming three separate lights, the bodies of Jade, Peridot, and Lapis. Lapis and Peridot said their goodbyes to Jade and thanked Pearl for her help before returning home.

Still wearing her date clothes, Jade said sheepishly, "Th-thank you for the dress, Pearl. I'm, um, I'm really sorry I'm late."

Pearl smiled. "That's all right. Did you have fun?"

Jade practically swooned. "Last night was...well, it was possibly the greatest night of my life, Pearl. They...they really want to be with me. Me! It's just so...so wonderful. I've been so afraid of falling in love again for so long, and now it's  _ happening _ and it isn't terrifying, its spectacular!" She rushed over and hugged Pearl tightly. "Thank you, Pearl. Thank you so much."

"Well, I mean, the date was really Steven and Connie's idea…"

"I mean, for everything. The dress, helping me learn about fusion, training me, letting me be a Crystal Gem, teaching me about how gems work, being so nice to me...you've done so much."

Pearl chuckled. "Well, you're very welcome."

"Is," Jade wondered, looking up from the hug at Pearl's face, "is there anything  _ I _ can do for  _ you _ ? You've done so much for me, and I feel like I haven't done anything for you at all."

Pearl returned Jade's embrace tightly. "Jade. I've seen some of your memories. I know what this is. You have to remember: not everyone needs something from you. People aren't problems to be solved. What I've done for you...consider it a gift. You don't need to pay back a gift. Just accept it, if you like it, and cherish it."

"Pearl, I…"

"I'm sure, at some point in the thousands of years ahead of us, there will be something I need, and you'll be the first to jump in to help," Pearl assured her with a laugh. "Now. Did you still want to train today?"

"Yes, please."

"All right," Pearl said, pulling away, "then, get changed. You and I are going to spar today."

Jade started to walk away.

"Jade? What are you doing?"

"I was...going to go change."

"Jade...your normal clothes are part of your form. You just...manifest them."

"Oh."

Jade thought about it, and, underneath her dress, her tank top and tights appeared. She removed the dress, flushing from embarrassment. She handed the dress to Pearl, who stored it in her gem.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about. Sometimes I forget that it's only been...what, a year since you became a gem?"

"I think you're right," Jade agreed. "Wow. I can't believe that much time has passed already."

Pearl nodded. "So. For today's spar, I forbid you from using your staff."

"Oh. So, we're going to fight hand-to-hand?" Jade asked.

"No, I'm going to use my spear. I want you to beat me without a weapon."

Jade stepped back. "Wh-that doesn't seem fair."

Pearl rolled her eyes. "Jade, you have  _ incredible  _ speed. It carries over into your fusions, and I've seen it when I had you train together with Connie. But you hardly use that speed. You rely on your staff too much to keep attacks at bay that you never counterattack. You'll never win a fight against a gem by wearing them down, and if Emerald shows up with her army, we're all going to have to fight off a lot of gems."

"That...makes sense. Well, you're the teacher, anyway. If you say 'no staff’, then I guess...no staff." Jade moved to the center of the arena, adopting a simple stance Pearl had taught her for hand-to-hand combat situations. "I'm ready."

Pearl didn't hesitate. She rushed Jade with absolute focus. Jade, in accordance with how Pearl had trained her, tried to keep herself calm. To move quickly without stumbling, she needed to alter her perception of time. As Pearl approached, she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. When she opened them again, Pearl seemed to be moving more slowly.

She easily turned out of the way of Pearl's first thrust. Pearl grinned, ripping the spear across, forcing her to fall to her knees ducking. From there, Pearl's attacks were relentless. Jade rolled back to her feet, backing up, shifting left, right, and back to avoid Pearl's thrusts and swipes. Pearl was right, though. She wouldn't tire. The two of them could continue this dance forever, if they had a mind to.

Jade waited for another thrust, then grasped Pearl's spear, attempting to wrench it from her hands. She  _ definitely _ wasn't stronger than Pearl. She felt herself lifted into the air as Pearl pulled upward on the spear, tossing Jade over her head. Jade didn't let go in time, and was slammed to the ground hard. Pearl stood over her with her spear at Jade's throat, shaking her head.

"You tried to overpower me, Jade. You have to use your speed. Get up, and we'll try it again." She helped Jade up, and they resumed their stances.

Over the next hour, similar scenes played out. Jade would dodge Pearl's attacks, only to fall when she attempted to break through. Jade was starting to get discouraged.

“I don’t know, Pearl. Maybe I’m just not meant to win fights on my own.”

Pearl shook her head. “Jade. I’m a  _ Pearl _ . Do you think I haven’t heard that line of thinking before? No, you don’t have much in the way of upper-body strength compared to most gems. You need to play to your strengths. You move incredibly quickly. And the faster you move, the more momentum you’ll have. The more momentum you have...” she tried to lead Jade to a conclusion.

“...the more force I can put into an attack,” Jade finally realized. Pearl nodded, assuming a fighting stance.

Jade did the same. This time, when Pearl rushed, after dodging a few attacks, Jade jumped backward. She ran past Pearl, up the side of one of the pillars. From a crouch on the side of the pillar, she jumped to another. She bounced between the three pillars faster and faster, until she thought Pearl could no longer track her movements. She built up as much momentum as she could, and then leapt at Pearl, aiming a kick in her direction. Pearl tried to bring her spear down to bear, but Jade was moving too quickly. She shot past the spear and planted her foot directly in Pearl’s chest. Jade had a look of glee on her face. She’d done it!

Pearl flew backward with tremendous force, slamming up against one of the pillars, sending a shockwave upward that cracked some stone off the top. Jade’s face fell, and she rushed over to Pearl, who had collapsed from the pillar to the ground.

“Pearl?” she called out, concerned. “Pearl? I’m sorry! I didn’t...Pearl, are you okay?”

Pearl looked up, shaking off a dazed feeling. She laughed and smiled at Jade. “I’m fine. It’ll take more than that to poof me,” she said, placing a hand on Jade’s shoulder as she was helped from the ground, “but you did excellently. I do have to say, I didn’t exactly expect the acrobatics.”

Jade frowned. “Is that bad?”

Pearl shrugged. “Well, I think I’d debate whether or not it was necessary, but it definitely helped catch me off guard.”

Jade smiled hopefully. “And...it looked pretty cool?”

Pearl chuckled. “Yeah. It looked pretty cool.”

Jade rubbed her arm. "Hey, Pearl, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why  _ did _ you decide to train me?"

Pearl frowned. "Well...to be honest, at first, I pitied you. You were this poor creature stuck in a place you couldn't escape. You were changed drastically, irrevocably, against your will. Without knowing, you were thrust into a conflict thousands of years in the making."

"...I see."

Pearl smiled. "At first. But then, I got to know you. You have a strong desire to be clever. You want to protect others. And, you have a strong spirit."

"Spirit?"

Pearl nodded. "There you were, barely understanding what a gem even was, and already you wanted to use your powers to protect the Earth. You convinced Connie to follow a dream. You learned more about fusion to better your relationships, even in the face of reliving old pain. How could I  _ not _ want to train you?"

Jade laughed. "You make me sound so special."

Pearl smirked. "And  _ you _ make yourself sound like you're fishing for compliments."

"Maybe a little," Jade admitted.

The two laughed for a while. Eventually, Jade said, "I should probably head back. I've got some more planting to do in the garden."

Pearl nodded. "How close is it, do you think?"

"Pretty close," Jade explained. "It should be ready in another week."

Pearl gave a serious look. "Have you told Steven what you plan to do?"

"I told him I was going to try to fix the original Jade. I didn't...I didn't tell him what the garden was for."

"Why not?"

"I'm not sure, honestly. He complimented it and somehow...somehow I couldn't bring myself to tell him I was making something so beautiful just to kill it." She sighed. "I will tell him, though. He's got his hopes up that I'm gonna fix every gem that's ever been shattered."

Pearl grimaced. "I've read Emerald's notes. That would take a lot more than one rooftop garden's worth of life."

"I know," Jade agreed. "Something like that would probably kill an entire planet. It's easy for me to rationalize it when it's some plants I personally grew in a little box. To do it on that scale?" She shuddered.

"I have to admit, when I realized you could put broken gems back together using life energy, I considered that you could fix everyone," Pearl conceded, "But, you're right. The cost is too high."

"For now. We may be able to think something up in the future. I have a few ideas, but they're not really feasible right now. We have plenty of time to think of something."

"Do we?" Pearl asked. "We still haven't seen Emerald, even though she was shouting about how the Earth would pay, when we escaped her ship."

Jade frowned. That was true. They hadn't seen Emerald, and neither had the Diamonds. She'd considered it a blessing, but...maybe it wasn't.


	14. Putting The Pieces Back Together

Despite Pearl’s concern, the next week passed by without incident. Jade was able to enjoy time with her girlfriends and the other Crystal Gems, and still, she finished her garden. She was excited, but that excitement was tempered with melancholy. She was happy that she was finally going to help put her unwitting savior back together...but she’d grown fond of the garden. She’d replant it, she told herself. Once she was done.

She knocked on the door to Steven’s home. “Oh! Hey, Jade! What’s up?”

She gave him a serious look. “It’s time.”

He seemed confused for a moment, but then understood. “Time for what? Oh! Wow! Already? Um, okay…” He turned back, shouting to Amethyst, who was sitting in front of the counter, waiting for the microwave to finish making popcorn. “Amethyst, I’ll, um, I’ll be back later! Jade and I have something to take care of!”

“All right,” Amethyst called back, “but don’t expect there to be any popcorn left when you get back!”

Steven laughed, ushering Jade in and closing the door. They walked over to the warp pad, and warped to Little Homeworld, where Jade’s greenhouse sat on top of one of the tallest buildings. She’d helped Bismuth and the others build it, and per her instructions, there was a covered external staircase winding up the side of the building toward the garden. She didn’t want it to be accessible except by that staircase. She didn’t mind people visiting her garden, of course, but she knew that when today came, it wasn’t going to be the most appealing place in Little Homeworld.

Steven looked delighted. “I can’t believe we’re about to bring back a broken gem! I thought we were done once we helped heal the corrupted Crystal Gems and Homeworld Gems on Earth, but now...think of everyone we can help! We can fix  _ everyone _ !”

Jade sighed. “I don’t think you want that, Steven.”

He laughed. “What? Of course I want it! There are so many broken gems here on Earth that deserve a second chance, and I want to be able to give it to them!”

As they reached the top of the stairs, she looked at her beautiful creation. 2500 square feet of greens, yellows, pinks, violets, blues...every shade of every color imaginable filled the space beneath the clear glass roof. She looked up toward the ceiling that allowed the plants their sunlight. There were some vines crawling their way up it, which were flowering. She wanted to smile, seeing this place, but she couldn’t.

“Steven,” she said heavily, “there’s something I haven’t told you about what I need to do. Look at this place. Do you see how much care I put into it? How colorful it is? How alive it is?”

He seemed apprehensive. “Yeah?”

She shook her head. “Steven, Jades were made to absorb organic life, and then release it in order to create new gems. For the longest time, they couldn’t manage the latter. Emerald’s research, which Pearl, Connie and I stole from her warship, explained how they can. She was going to use that property to recreate the original Jade so she could force her to build armies. I plan to use it to put her back together so she can be happy and whole, instead. But, to do that, I need to do what Jades were designed to do. I need to absorb life. A  _ lot _ of it, if I’m gonna make this work.”

He frowned. “Wait. So, then, your garden…”

She looked at him sadly. “I made this place with the help of Bismuth, Lapis, and Peridot...so that I could use it to put Jade—the first Jade—back together. Every vine you see, every flower, every leaf, and every root...I have to destroy it to fix her.”

“That’s so sad,” Steven observed. “But..."

Jade looked down at the floor out of embarrassment. She sighed. “You were just so excited, Steven. I didn’t want to tell you what was going to happen because you wanted to bring back the other gems. I  _ wanted _ to just tell you that I  _ couldn’t _ do it, that I could only fix Jade because of my bond with her.”

“Why?”

“Why didn’t I tell you earlier, or why did I want to lie?”

“Yes! Both!” Clearly, the idea of being kept in the dark at all distressed him.

“Steven...I’ve done some math, based on Emerald’s notes and estimates Pearl has given about the number of shattered gems during the war. In order to restore every shattered gem you know about, first we’d need to gather all their shards, and then we’d need for me to absorb enough life to bind the shards of each gem back together. To do that...would take all the life on Earth. Maybe more. I didn’t want to tell you because...well,” she gave an anguished look, “for me, finding out  _ that _ ? That was worse than thinking I couldn’t do  _ anything _ .”

Steven sighed and thought for a moment, then nodded, extending a hand and placing it on one of Jade’s hands. “I understand.”

“I’ve been brainstorming some ideas,” Jade admitted, “but first, I wanna make sure I fix  _ her _ . I’ve put in so much work, and I can’t stop now. I made her a promise. Are you still up for helping?” she asked.

Steven squeezed her hand. “Of course. What do you need me to do?”

Jade let go and stepped back. “Well, I’m going to remove Jade’s shard from my gem.”

A look of surprise passed across his face. “What?!”

“I know, I know, but I can’t put her back together if I don’t have all the pieces. That’s why I asked if you could heal me if part of my gem was missing.”

“I can, but...that’s probably gonna hurt, Jade.”

She shrugged. “Well, I’ve had somebody drive a spear through my gut back when I had my human body, so...if it’s worse than that, I guess...that’ll suck. But, I mean...these are sacrifices I have to make to keep my promise.”

He nodded. “All right. If you’re sure.”

"I'm sure."

"Are you ready?"

"Yes," Jade said, reaching up to the gem just below her neck. She felt it for a moment, trying to find the part of the gem that was made of the old shard. She felt a bump, and when she rubbed it, she heard the other Jade's voice.

_ It was time. "Yes. That is it." _

Jade nodded, pinching the small bump between two fingers. With great effort, she pulled. Steven wasn't wrong, it hurt, like having the skin of one's hand torn off on a sharp metal edge. Still, she ripped the piece off her gem, and as she did, its lavender luster faded, replaced with a dull green.

She suddenly fell to her knees, her legs unable to support her weight. She couldn't quite feel her body, and pieces of it seemed to be flickering and flashing, like an image on a computer screen glitching out.

That was bad. That wasn't right. Panic set in as she realized she couldn't control her form, and that her gem could crack more from where she'd broken off the shard. She could shatter herself. "H-help," she begged.

Steven licked a finger, getting down on a knee in front of her. "It's okay. I've got you."

As the saliva on his finger made contact with her gem, it sparkled. The strange glitching of her body started to slow as the gem healed over the part where she'd broken off the shard. When the process was over, she rolled onto her back, breathing heavily.

"Are you okay?" Steven's voice was full of concern.

"I think so. I just need a second. That was...it was…" she shuddered. "I am  _ really _ glad I only have to do that the one time."

Steven helped her up. "Well, that's the last shard. Should I, uh...go?"

"You'll be fine. I have control over what I absorb. Unless, um...unless you don't wanna see this next part."

He shook his head. "No. If it's safe, I want to see this through."

"All right," she said, grabbing the bubble that contained the rest of her counterpart's shards. She held them close to her chest. "Okay, Jade. Time to see if Emerald's notes were worth the trouble it took to get them."

Jade stepped backward, toward the center of the garden. Slowly, she began to breathe. She had to focus on her breathing, tasting the air with a sense she almost understood, tasting the plants around her with that same sense. With each inward breath, the plants seemed to sway, though there was no actual breeze. With each outward breath, they flattened in the other direction.

Finally, Jade took one last, long breath through her nose. As she did, the plants in the chamber began to glow, and the light they glowed with flowed in streaks into her body. Within a second, the plants all went limp, black, withered, and lifeless, dangling uselessly from their planters and the walls. Steven winced. It was a grisly sight.

Jade lifted her hands from her chest, holding the shards out in front of her. She held her breath, trying to focus. She concentrated as hard as she could on an idea, a desire. She took all of her desire to give to others, and she brought it to the forefront of her mind. When she believed her concentration was sufficient, she breathed out lightly at the shards.

The light that had entered her body now escaped through her mouth as she blew, encircling the shards. They were lifted from her hands and floated in the air as she gave more light. After a short time, spent, she and Steven watched, transfixed, as the light swirled around the shards, obscuring them from view. It flowed faster and faster, inward toward them, until it disappeared completely, replaced by a single point of bright light.

That light began to dim, revealing a cabochon not unlike Jade's own, now glowing a brilliant green. She held out her hands and allowed it to gently float into them, flashing slower and slower until it settled on a soft glow.

Jade looked with happiness and disbelief at the fully formed gem. "It...it worked, Steven."

Steven laughed joyfully, jumping over and hugging Jade. "It worked! You did it!"

A moment passed, and nothing happened with the gem. Steven's face dropped a little. "Is something wrong? She's not forming."

Jade shook her head. "No, nothing's wrong. She's just going to take some time. All I put back together was her body.  _ She'll _ need to put her mind back together."

"How long do you think it might take?"

Jade shrugged. "I don't know. I don't have any frame of reference for having your consciousness ripped to shreds and needing to piece yourself back together. It could be days, or months, or years...maybe even centuries. But, still, we did it," she smiled, giving Steven a hug of her own. "Thank you. I know that this wasn't the prettiest ritual, but...thanks to your help, I fixed her  _ and _ I survived."

"What will you do with the garden now?" he asked.

"I'm gonna replant it, I think."

"To try and fix more gems?"

Jade's face was riddled with shame as he asked. "No," she admitted. "I was...just gonna plant it so I could have my garden back. I already miss how pretty and relaxing it was."

Steven gave a pained expression. "Look, Jade, I know this was hard, but...just think of all the other gems out there that have been shattered! You've got to help them, too!"

"That's...that's asking a lot."

"You have to! You're the only one who can help them!"

"Please...let's not talk about this right now," Jade requested quietly, turning away.

But Steven was distraught, approaching her closer. " _ You _ got a second chance at life! You gave  _ her _ one! All those other gems deserve it, too!" However, he halted when he heard a sob. "Jade? I wasn't—I didn't mean—"

She turned back toward him, tears streaming down her face. She asked softly, "And how much needs to die for me to fix them? How many lives do I have to take? How many worlds do I have to end?"

"Whoa!" Steven held out his hands to gesture for peace. "Look, I'm sorry. I got carried away, I just really wanna help them. But I didn't mean to—"

Jade continued. "I used this power I was given to help her, but that doesn't make it a good one. Look around, Steven! This place was vibrant and beautiful. I  _ made _ it vibrant and beautiful. And now, it's just...dead. Because of me. Is it even worth it?" She collapsed to her knees. "Sure, this time it was just a garden I made. But next time, it could be an open field, or a forest, or a farm, or a city...they might take  _ more _ to fix than she did, or I might not get it right and mess them up, or I could take too much and someone could die!"

"Jade, you're not making sense," Steven worried. "You knew what you were doing, here. You thought it out, decided on what you needed, and planned everything out to make sure it was safe. I was standing right here, and I'm fine."

"That's just it," Jade argued, "I  _ don't _ know what I'm doing. I don't have a plan to fix thousands of gems. I barely managed to fix her! I know it's just some plants, but...this has me scared, Steven. I don't like this power. This isn't like being able to move fast or be more durable or join with other people. It's a power I can  _ only _ use to kill. Even if I try to use it to help, because I can, I'd still have to kill."

Steven sighed. "Powers are a lot of responsibility. I understand if you're afraid of yours now that you've seen what it can do. Sorry I tried to push you."

Jade tried to smile. "Sorry. I have...trouble, sometimes. I get caught up and I catastrophize. I'll be ready to think about all this again, eventually. But, for now, I need to take my mind off it."

"Oh! I know what'll help," Steven realized. He walked over to a wilted flower, kissing it. The flower and several around it came back to life.

"Wh-you can just  _ do _ that?"

"Heh. Yeah," he laughed sheepishly. "It's not a good long term solution for our problem, but I can at least fix your garden. Why don't you head back to the temple and I'll meet you there? We can give the others the good news."

She nodded, getting up to leave. As she reached the door, Steven asked, "Jade?"

She stopped, placing a hand on the door. "Yeah?"

"Do you really believe all that? About the idea that you could lose control of your power?"

After a long silence, Jade sighed. "No. I've been training with Pearl partly to make sure that won't happen. But, it's like I said. I catastrophize, sometimes. Something gets me anxious, and I assume the worst. But...it  _ is _ scary to think about. All of us can, like, attack in some way. But as far as I know, I'm the only Crystal Gem who has a power that just...makes things die. It's hard to think about, sometimes, you know? Sometimes I miss being a regular human."

Outside of Jade's line of sight, a small, floating blue gem flitted up and away, a look of surprise on her face. So,  _ that _ was where this off-color Jade had come from. Emerald would want to know about that.

"I've  _ never _ known what it was like to be a regular human," Steven lamented.

"Oh. Boy, I'm sorry, Steven. I never thought about it like that," Jade said, turning around and walking back toward him. "I've only had to deal with these powers for a year. You've had yours your whole life. That must have been really hard."

"At first, but then, I got used to them."

"But still, things have been tough for you."

He closed his eyes. "Yeah. That's why I feel bad. I was trying to put a lot of pressure on you. But I know what that's like. There's always been a lot of pressure on me to solve problems, to live up to my mom's legacy, and then I found out she...maybe wasn't all that great to begin with…"

Jade put an arm around his shoulder. "I'm sorry I dumped all that on you. Really, I am—it's stuff I can handle, and all I need is to vent, but you're not the person I should be venting to. You've had enough going on. But...Steven, you gotta learn to say 'when', bud. Even if it's someone you care about. You can only take so much. You have to know your limits."

Steven began to protest, "But, if I don't help—"

Jade cut him off. "Then someone else will. Or they'll learn to help themselves. Or they won't. You can't keep making everyone else's problems your own, Steven. You'll wear yourself out."

"Speaking from experience?"

Jade sighed. "Yeah. Trust me, burning out trying to help others isn't good."

"I know I can't change people," he admitted, "but I can help them understand what's wrong. I can help them realize what they need to change."

Jade nodded. "Sure, you can. But answer me this. Does it  _ have _ to be you?"

"Wh-if I don't, then—"

"Steven. There are so many Crystal Gems here. Do you  _ really _ have to be the one to help  _ every time _ ?"

"I...I guess not."

She smiled. "Then let other people pick up the slack, sometimes, okay? You've got a lot of great friends and family here, Steven. You don't have to be the adult."

He laughed. "You sound like a parent."

She smiled. "Maybe. I'm just trying to give you some advice people tried to give me when I was younger. I figure, maybe you'll listen better than I did and save yourself the trouble."

He laughed even harder.

"What?"

"Now you  _ really _ sound like a parent."

Jade grinned. "I'll consider it a compliment. C'mon. Let's go tell Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl we fixed Jade's gem."

"Yeah," Steven giggled, "they'll be happy to hear it, I'm sure."

* * *

"You must be joking."

Teardrop-shaped gem glistening in the low light of the throne chamber on Emerald's warship, Aquamarine chuckled, grinning. "It's as I said. The off-color Jade isn't a Jade at all. She's a human, somehow residing inside of that gem."

"First Steven Universe, and now this," Emerald spat. "Lesser creatures, given strength. Thinking that  _ they _ can be gems. It disgusts me."

"Well, she was kind enough to fix the real Jade for us," Aquamarine reasoned. "Which means she functions as a Jade, despite her origin."

Emerald sighed. "True," she allowed, "but, still, we can't allow such lower life forms in our Empire."

Aquamarine frowned. "So you're just going to throw away a valuable resource?"

"Of course not." Emerald retrieved the small, pink cylinder she kept on her person. She pressed a button and it extended, emitting a sickly-looking electrified scythe blade. "We just need to make sure  _ she _ is erased, so that the gem she's taken up residence in may serve us."

She stood, slamming the haft of the scythe against the floor. "And, once we eliminate both her and that wretched Steven Universe, we will issue a message to all the so-called 'free' gems of the galaxy," she explained with a toothy, sinister smile, "that they will join us or be shattered."

"And the Diamonds?" Aquamarine wondered.

"They've shown their weakness," Emerald explained, "by trying to discard all of us because of that  _ boy _ . We will make an example of them."


	15. Awakening, Redux

After the initial excitement over Steven and Jade's success at restoring a broken gem had worn off, life continued as normal in Beach City. Jade trained with Pearl and Connie, enjoyed her time with her girlfriends, and hung out with various other gems and even some of the humans in the city. She learned a lot about Lars, and how he and Sadie were good friends before he was lost in space for months with the Off-Colors. Beach City was a quiet place, relying on seasonal tourism to get by. She spent a great deal of time with Bismuth, learning how she'd been bubbled for disagreeing with Rose about the ethical implications of shattering gems. She and Bismuth also discussed some thoughts that Jade had regarding other shattered gems, and what could be done about them.

Though the two wouldn't typically interact much, Lapis found herself speaking more with Pearl, as both Jade and Peridot valued friendships with her. They could even occasionally be seen wandering the town together, chatting about some recent event or another. It made Steven happy to see everyone getting along so well.

One day, Jade was passing through Beach City when she saw Greg, lounging on a beach chair in front of his car wash. He waved at her, so she walked over to chat. "Hi, Greg. How've you been?"

"Can't complain. Business with the car wash has been a little slow, but  _ Sadie Killer and the Suspects _ are really takin' off!"

"That's great!" Jade exclaimed. "They're really good. They must have an excellent manager," she teased.

Greg laughed. "Well, my old manager was terrible, so I figured if I just did the opposite of everything he did, the kids would do fine. How about you? I haven't seen you since the concert."

"I'm doing good. Training is going well, and Lapis and Peridot and I get along great, and...oh! Steven helped me restore the gem whose shard I'm made from!"

"He told me about that, that's great!" He gave her a teasing side-eye. "He also said you told him he should keep his nose outta other people's business more," he said in a low voice.

Jade's face flushed. "Well, I didn't mean it  _ that _ way."

Greg cracked a smile and chuckled. "My words, not his. Seriously, though, I'm glad someone mentioned to him he should be careful how much he tries to help. He's a great kid. He listens to me pretty well most of the time, but I'm his dad, so sometimes he thinks I'm being overprotective."

"Compassion is great," Jade agreed, "but you've gotta take care of yourself first. Other people's problems can overwhelm you pretty quick."

"Spoken from experience?"

"Yeah, I've made my share of mistakes in life, and in love."

"Join the club. You know, it's nice that the two of you get along so well. Up until now, Steven's had me to talk to about human stuff, and the gems to talk to about magic stuff. There hasn't really been anyone in his position before. Now, he's got someone like him he can talk to."

"Somebody who's also caught somewhere in between gem and humanity?"

"Yeah. I can't imagine it's an easy place to be. I'm glad you're doing well, though. I remember the day Pearl first introduced you," Greg shook his head, "when you looked just about as overwhelmed as anybody could be."

Jade laughed. "What are you talking about? I shook your hand and I was smiling the whole time."

"Jade, I'm a  _ dad _ . I know how to see through those things. Besides, you couldn't even run without falling flat on your face. Now, you're so much more confident."

"I worried, for a while, about what it meant that I was a gem now. Was I still a human? Would I still feel like one? But over time I realized, the change...wasn't as big as I was making it out to be. I just had a different body, one that worked differently from my old one." She smiled. "That's a familiar feeling, really. I've changed once before. I'm sure I'll change again. But, after all, I'm still  _ me _ . Whatever my body looks like, I'm me."

"That's a good attitude," Greg affirmed, reaching into a cooler. He offered a can to Jade. "Would you like a soda? Still cold."

Jade smiled, gladly accepting. "Absolutely," she said, popping open the can. "You know, Greg, you're pretty remarkable. You've managed to raise an amazing son, and you've been dealing with all this gem stuff for years now."

He laughed. "Well, I wasn't always good at any of it. There's a lot I still can't handle very well. But, I've done my best to learn what I can for Steven's sake."

"Well, he's lucky to have such a good, adaptable dad."

Greg opened a can of his own, holding it out for a mock toast. "To adapting to whatever life throws at us."

She clinked her can against his, chuckling. "To thriving," she amended.

As they enjoyed their drinks, Jade’s phone rang. Peridot was requesting a video call. She answered. “Hey Peridot, what’s up?”

Peridot and Lapis popped up on screen, both looking very excited. "Jade, you gotta get back home, quick! The gem is glowing; I think she's about to regenerate!"

"Really? I'll be right there! See you two in a minute!"

"Hurry!" Peridot shouted before ending the call.

Greg smiled. "Sounds like today's gonna be a good day for you."

Jade extended a hand. "You wanna come help welcome her back?"

"Normally, I try to steer clear of gem stuff unless Steven needs help with something. You go on. But, feel free to bring her by if she wants to meet any of the locals!"

"All right. Have a great day, then!"

"You—" Greg started to say. However, Jade was already gone. "—too. Jeez, she's quick."

Jade rushed back to her room in Little Homeworld, where she'd been keeping the gem she and Steven had restored. As she opened the door, she could see the gem glowing brightly and hovering above the couch.

"You're just in time," Lapis said.

The three watched, trembling with anticipation, as the gem's bright light began to expand. Slowly, it took shape on the couch. A green gem woman formed, with shoulder-length wavy hair that ended in curls at the bottom. She was...well, 'scrawny' was really the best way to describe her. Her round, green gem was inlaid into her clavicle, same as Jade's.

"Hi!" Peridot said first, as the prone woman opened her eyes. "I'm Peridot!"

Lapis giggled at Peridot's enthusiasm. "I'm Lapis. It's nice to meet you."

Jade knelt down next to her. "I...remember you," the woman said.

Jade smiled and spread her arms wide, offering a hug. "Welcome back, Jade," she greeted the gem warmly. As the gem leapt up into her arms, she held her tightly, patting her gently on the back. "Welcome home."

The gem laughed softly, grateful for the first embrace she'd received in over five thousand years. "We're gonna have to talk about the name. It'll get pretty confusing if we both call ourselves Jade. Tell you what—you can be Jade. I'll take a human name, like you took a gem one."

Jade thought for a moment. "How about 'Hope'?"

The gem giggled. "Do humans really name their children 'Hope'?"

"S-sometimes," Jade insisted. "But...I can pick another one, it was just the first—"

The gem pulled back and smiled. "I like it. 'Hope'. It's a name that  _ means _ something. It sounds lovely."

"All right, then, Hope. I'm really glad you're okay. Uh. You  _ are _ okay, right?"

Hope kept a bright face. "Mostly. A lot has happened, and I've been gone a long time. It might take a while for me to adjust. But—oh! Hold on, I'll be right back! There's something I want to give you."

Hope grabbed a glass from the table and rushed out the door. Jade looked to Peridot and Lapis, who just shrugged. When Hope returned, she had filled the glass with dirt.

"Hold this," she instructed. Jade obeyed. Hope put her hand, palm up, to her lips. She blew toward the glass, a trace amount of swirling light escaping and taking root in the dirt. It drifted upward, leaving behind a green stem as it spiraled around, disappearing after creating what appeared to be a beautiful flower. But Jade realized it wasn't just any flower.

Jade marveled at the thing. "The flower from your memory. The one I saw."

"Yes," she answered, "thanks to you, I know how to release life energy I've absorbed. Now that I can...I think I have a responsibility to give back."

Jade sidled up to Hope, putting an arm around her. "Responsibility can wait a little while. You're finally whole for the first time in thousands of years! For now, why don’t you just hold on to that feeling?”

Their conversation was interrupted when the door opened. Bismuth walked in, carrying a stack of textbooks. “Jade,” she announced, “I found those books you wanted at the library. I think this idea of yours could—” she stopped mid-sentence, dropping the books on the floor. “Is...is that...she’s awake, and you didn’t tell me?”

Jade gave an apologetic smile. “She kinda just reformed.”

“Bismuth?” Hope whispered. “Is it really you?” She shot over to Bismuth, leaping over the spilled books and wrapping her arms around Bismuth’s neck, hanging there as the stout gem caught her.

“Sure is!”

“I thought you were lost forever!” Hope delighted. “What happened?”

“Well,” Bismuth loured, “it’s not the happiest story.”

“That’s okay,” Hope beamed as she was set back down on the floor, “I want to hear  _ everything _ . I didn’t pick up much while I was fractured, but...from interacting with Jade, I think...we won?”

Jade bent over, picking up the fallen books. “Hoo, boy,” she remarked, “we should tell you the story, but you should probably have a seat. It’s a long one, and I’m not sure you’ll like all of it.”

“Uh...all right,” Hope gulped.

Over the next few minutes, Bismuth related to Hope what had happened in her absence. She told her about Pink Diamond and Rose Quartz being the same person, and about an attempt to drive the Diamonds from the planet by faking Pink’s shattering. She told her about the Diamonds’ final punishment for gems on Earth, and how Rose, Pearl, and Garnet were the only ones to escape it. She explained how those three settled in Beach City, and found a young Amethyst to care for. They spent centuries trying to fix the damage that had been done to their friends, but to no avail. Rose fell in love with a human man, eventually giving up her physical form to bring a new half-human, half gem child into the world. Bismuth related how Steven was able to find her, bubbled inside of a pocket dimension Rose had created, put away for devising a plan that Rose couldn’t stomach. Hope related to that feeling. She learned that, impossibly, once he’d discovered his origins as a Diamond, Steven was able to convince the other Diamonds not only to spare Earth and help cure gems of their corruption, but also to dismantle their empire completely.

“Wow,” Hope marvelled, “a lot  _ has  _ happened while I’ve been away.”

“But things are a lot better now, Jade. Er. Green Jade. Um…?” Bismuth struggled.

Hope beamed. “Actually, we already talked about it. I let Jade pick me a new name. She’s good at names. I’m going to go by ‘Hope’ now.”

“It’s a good name,” Bismuth agreed.

Peridot pulled a book off the table that Jade had set them on, which was labeled  _ Phytology: A Beginner’s Guide to Botanical Science _ . She thumbed through it. “What in the world is this for?” she remarked. Thumbing through a few more books, she seemed more confused. “All of these books you had Bismuth get...what are these for?”

“Bismuth and I have been working on an idea,” Jade divulged, “for repairing more gems than just Hope. Doing it here on Earth would be dangerous to life here. And...I really don’t want to endanger life on other planets, either. My garden was enough to fix one gem, and the energy I absorbed to do it came entirely from plants. But,” she asserted, “knowing that isn’t enough. Every planet’s resources are finite in some way. If I kept using plants to repair gems, eventually the Earth would run out of some of the minerals and gases life needs to function.”

She reached up on a nearby shelf, pulling out a notebook. She flipped a few pages and slammed it on the desk, for emphasis. “But Pearl said something that got me thinking,” she bragged. “I pride myself on cleverness. I’m not  _ human _ anymore. My life span doesn’t have to be a concern. I don’t have to do everything  _ tomorrow _ , or next week, or even next year! I have  _ plenty _ of time. So,” she smirked, pointing to a page of the open notebook, “I allowed myself to imagine a...less immediate solution.”

On the page was a horrible, nearly indecipherable drawing of a half-sphere with scribbles inside. “Um…” Peridot puzzled.

“Oh, right. Sorry, I’m...I’m not really an artist,” Jade admitted with a laugh. “I’m thinking of something like my garden, but on a much larger scale. I want to set it up on the moon, repurposing the derelict Diamond base to control it as an actual operation, instead of just a hobby. If I can convince the Diamonds to grant me some old gem ships and gear, we might be able to reverse-engineer injectors as high-speed mining equipment. Getting other gems on board with it would mean we could set up space-mining operations on asteroids and other uninhabited celestial bodies in order to collect the resources we need to support an ecosystem we’ll be constantly pulling on in order to put gems back together!”

“Then, what are all these books for?” questioned Lapis.

“Well,” Jade admitted, “I don’t  _ actually _ know what all is needed to support plant life. Right now. So, in order to make this plan work, I’m gonna need to learn some biology. I’m also gonna need to learn how to produce plant life on a mass scale. And what materials will make an optimal greenhouse. And how to run a mining operation. Plus, even with gem technology I’m gonna need some sort of rudimentary idea of how to determine if a planet already has life on it or if I’d consider it ethical to mine.”

“So,” Peridot prodded, “you don’t have a plan. You have an idea.”

Jade tapped the notebook. “Oh, it’s a plan, all right,” she countered. “It just needs resources and details. And designs. And supporters,” she remarked, looking to the others.

Bismuth put up her hands. "You don't have to ask about me. I've been in on this since you first mentioned your crazy plan to make a moon farm to put back together broken gems."

"Absolutely," Hope replied. "I'm all for it. It's a good use of our powers."

Lapis grinned. "Well, I'm in. It sounds like fun, really! Plus, Peridot and I are  _ expert _ farmers," she suggested, nudging Peridot.

Peridot rubbed her chin. "Well, we  _ are _ experts. And, I suppose you would need someone knowledgeable enough to actually pull all this together...All right, I’ll do it,” she assented.

"I knew I could count on you all!" Jade squealed with delight. "But, we can worry about that later. For now, we should celebrate Hope's revival!"

"How?" pondered Hope.

"Oh, how about a tour of Earth?" Lapis postulated. "If we form Tanzanite, we could carry both you  _ and _ Bismuth easily!"

"Sounds fun," Bismuth agreed. "What do you say?"

"Absolutely!" Hope exclaimed.

The gems exited the building, pausing just outside the door. Lapis, Jade, and Peridot fused, this time with little effort. It was becoming easier and more natural for them. Tanzanite knelt on the ground, conjuring her wings.

"All right," she giggled, "hop on. I promise, the ride will be smooth and the view will be unbelievable!"

Bismuth walled up near her shoulders, but paused. "Uh...are you sure?"

Tanzanite rolled her eyes and snickered, reaching out and grabbing Bismuth, setting her gently between her shoulder blades. Bismuth's legs straddled her neck. Hope didn't need and encouragement, and immediately hopped onto her lower back, grabbing hold of her waist.

"All right, then," Tanzanite announced, "let's see some wild sights!"

With a mighty flap of her liquid wings, she shot up into the sky with unparalleled speed, Bismuth and Hope clinging to her for dear life. She leveled out a little, and soon, they were no longer forced to brace themselves. She started low, swooping down toward the grassy fields outside Beach City, then circled back and rose up as she neared the ocean.

Tanzanite decided to provide commentary. "Of course, this is just Beach City. We live here, and yes, it is pretty, but there's so much more out there to see!"

Below, aquatic wildlife swam through clear waters, some creatures breaching the surface for breath or play. She rushed across the sea, rising steadily until the group broke through the clouds. She continued, bringing herself just outside of cloud cover so that Hope and Bismuth could see the world below.

"It seems so full of life," wondered Hope.

"It is! Between lush areas full of wildlife and human cities and towns, the world is a thriving place."

"Humans have settlements?"

"Yes," Tanzanite confirmed. "Humans have adapted to life in all different parts of the world. Their reach extends to nearly every corner of the planet. But, if you know where to look, you can still find natural beauty."

Tanzanite and Bismuth showed Hope tall, snow-capped mountains, dangerous volcanoes, luscious jungles and forests, quiet plains, and more. The Earth had so much loveliness to offer, and there was no way they could show it all, but still, they did what they could. They spent hours in the air, showing Hope the world she helped protect, still very much alive.

Except for one spot.

"What is that?" Hope questioned, worried. She pointed to a large gouge in the ground back near Beach City. It appeared to be a canyon, but the soil looked grayer than it should, and it was littered with pink dots.

Tanzanite and Bismuth exchanged apprehensive glances. "That...that's the Prime Kindergarten," Tanzanite explained. "That's what it left behind."

"Could you take us down there?" Hope requested.

Bismuth shrugged, so Tanzanite nodded and descended toward the Kindergarten. She landed on her feet in the middle of the canyon, kneeling to let Hope and Bismuth off her back, and then unfused.

Peridot sighed. "This is the pride and joy of Pink Diamond's colony. Nothing's been able to grow here," she lamented. "I know—I've tried."

Hope frowned, scooping up some dirt with one hand and sniffing it. "Yes," she acknowledged, "this part of the Earth has been stripped of what it needs to harbor life. But…"

She stepped out into the center of the canyon, drawing in a deep breath. She continued to breathe in for a moment, and then gained a look of immense concentration. She began to breathe outward. She breathed harder and harder, and light spewed forth, starting in small swirls, then forming a breeze, and finally, a whirlwind. The whirlwind swept around the dead chasm, coating the soil with bright, shimmering light. The light faded after a short time, revealing a thin blanket of bright green grass.

Peridot marveled. "Impossible! This soil is devoid of anything that can support life!"

Hope beamed, but then looked melancholy. "I have absorbed life from planets other than Earth. I had enough stored energy within me to restore life to this place. It won't be the same, but...it can live again. More than can be said for the planets I helped destroy," she added somberly.

"We can't fix those planets," Bismuth reassured her, "but we can fix some of the mistakes that gems made here."

"Come on," Jade insisted. "Let's take the warp back to the temple. You can meet Steven. I think you'd like him."

Bismuth led Hope with an arm around her shoulder as Lapis and Peridot each took one of Jade's hands. The group stepped up onto the warp pad, and Jade took them to the temple.

Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, Connie, and Steven were in the living room, playing some sort of board game. As the warp activated, Steven stood up and rushed over. Seeing Hope delighted him.

"Hi!" he introduced himself. "I'm Steven! It's so good to see you awake!"

Hope smiled. "Ah, the famous Steven Universe. Rose's son. From what Bismuth and Jade told me, it's an honor to meet you. Please, call me Hope."

Connie and the other gems approached, except for Pearl, who stayed seated, looking forlorn and ashamed. Amethyst and Connie introduced themselves, but Garnet didn't need to.

"Garnet!" Hope rushed at her, jumping up to hug her. Garnet laughed, turning around once before setting her down. "Oh, it's so good to see you, after all this time!"

"It's good to see you, too," Garnet assured her. "When Jade said she could bring you back, I was afraid to believe it, but here you are!"

"It's good to be whole again," Hope gushed. She turned, looking past the group at the couch. "Pearl?"

Pearl stood, rubbing her arm walking forward. She wasn't able to look Hope in the eyes. "Hi, Jade. Er, Hope. I...Hope, I am so, so sorry for poofing you. I never intended for you to be shattered, and...I don't blame you if you can't forgive me, but—"

Hope hugged her, which immediately caused her to stop talking and start crying. She held Hope tightly as Hope spoke comforting words. “It’s all right, Pearl. I know my shattering wasn’t your fault.”

“But,” Pearl sniffled, “but…”

Hope shushed her, tearing up. “I don’t want to hate you, Pearl. You’re my friend. Let’s leave the past where it belongs.”

Everyone was silent for a while, as the two of them embraced and cried. As they separated, Jade turned to Garnet. “This is just the start,” she promised. “There’s so much more I can do.”

“Oh, I know,” Garnet told her, adjusting her glasses. “You’re going to do wonderfully.”


	16. Never Split The Party

Suddenly, an odd bell rang. Steven looked more alert. “Oh! The Diamonds are calling! Maybe they have an update on Emerald!”

He rushed upstairs to a console he used to communicate with Homeworld. Everyone else followed, eager for news. He activated the console, beginning, “Hey, Yellow, I—”

However, none of the Diamonds were on screen. Instead, a pink gem with pigtails and ruined mascara huddled around the console. The area around her was dark. “Steven,” she whispered.

“Spinel? What’s the matter?”

“I don’t have much time before they find me, Steven! I need to hide!”

“The Diamonds?” he asked. “What did they do?”

“No,” she corrected, “not the Diamonds! A bunch of Quartzes and Rubies and Citrines showed up out of nowhere, and they’ve overrun the place! The Diamonds tried to fight them off, but then some of the Citrines fused, and now the Diamonds are poofed, and they’ve been captured!”

“Poofed?” Steven said incredulously. “Captured? That’s...where are they now? Where are the gems that attacked?”

“I saw the Citrines leave, but the Quartzes and Rubies are still here, and they seem to be holding the Diamonds’ gems in bubbles somewhere in the palace. Please, Steven, there are too many for just me, you have to—” she halted, looking around. “They’ve found me. I need to go hide, now. I’ll meet you when you arrive!” The communication was cut.

Steven gave a worried look to the group. “We have to go help Spinel.”

It seemed like everyone was going to agree, until Jade spoke up. “Absolutely not.”

“What?” several of them demanded.

She shook her head. “Um. I don’t mean like, that  _ nobody _ should help her. I mean  _ Steven _ shouldn’t help her.”

“Why not?” Steven asked.

Jade pinched the bridge of her nose. “Doesn’t this just scream ‘trap’ to any of you? I mean, come on. Emerald made it pretty clear when Pearl and Connie and I met her before that she’s got a grudge against Steven for convincing the Diamonds to dismantle their empire.”

Connie shrugged. “She’s not wrong.”

“Plus,” Jade continued, “we can’t  _ all _ go. The Diamonds can’t be the only thing she’s after. She’s gotta be about to attack Earth, soon, right?”

Pearl frowned. “We don’t know that.”

“It’s what I would do,” Jade elaborated. “I’d stage some sort of diversion to draw off all of Earth’s strongest gems, and then I’d attack while they were vulnerable.”

Garnet nodded. “That makes sense. We should only send a few of us. Pearl. You should go. You know the palace better than any of us.”

“All right,” Pearl confirmed hesitantly. “I’ll take two others with me. The rest of you should stay here and protect the Earth. And keep Emerald from getting to Hope. Whatever this is about, she definitely wants her.”

“I don’t like this,” Steven started to protest, “but I’ll stay behind and protect Hope and Beach City. We can evacuate the town to Little Homeworld.”

“I’ll go,” Connie volunteered. “I can handle a rescue mission on Homeworld.”

Steven looked distraught. “Connie…”

She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll be fine, Steven.”

“I’ll go, too,” Jade offered. “I’ve had a good amount of practice fighting alongside Connie and Pearl.” She pondered something for a bit. “Amethyst, could I have you do me a favor?”

“Me? What?”

“I need you to talk to Lars. Tell him to gather up the Off-Colors and warm up the Sun Incinerator’s engines.”

Amethyst chuckled. “Okay. But, why are we enlisting Spaceman for this?”

Jade bit her lip. “Just a feeling. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I think the Crystal Gems are gonna need that ship.” She turned to Lapis and Peridot. “Sorry to ask you two to stay behind, but...I think you’re gonna be needed more here. Lapis, your hydrokinesis is one of the strongest powers the Crystal Gems have. And Peridot, we’re gonna need someone to make sure there’s at least one operational warp here on Earth, so we can get back.”

Lapis looked amused. “Since when are  _ you _ the leader of the Crystal Gems?”

“I...um...er...well…”

She kissed Jade on the cheek. “I’m only teasing. It’s a good plan.”

“You’d better come back safe!” Peridot demanded. She blushed. “We...we love you, after all.”

“We do,” confirmed Lapis. “We really do.”

“I love you too,” Jade echoed, embracing them tightly. “Stay safe.”

“Good luck,” Steven sighed. “We’ll keep Earth safe.”

Garnet pulled Jade aside. "You seem awfully sure you know what Emerald's plotting. I haven't contradicted you because I agree that some of what you're guessing is true, but," she cautioned, "you should be careful. You can get into trouble thinking you're cleverer than someone who's lived a lot longer than you." She patted her on the shoulder. "Still, you're right about the Earth being in danger. We'll keep it safe. Watch yourself on Homeworld."

"I will," Jade confirmed. "I'd like to know how she managed to take the Diamonds down. With everything that's been said about them, that doesn't sound like an easy thing to do."

"It isn't," Garnet agreed. "Spinel seemed to indicate they used powerful fusions."

"And now those fusions aren't there," Jade worried, "which means they might be headed to Earth. You guys take care, too, Garnet. I think things are about to get dangerous for all of us."

Garnet gave a reaffirming smile. "We're the Crystal Gems. We can handle any danger Emerald can throw at us. Good luck."

Steven, Amethyst, Lapis, Garnet, and Hope rushed off toward Beach City. Peridot stayed behind to see Pearl, Connie, and Jade off—and to monitor the warp pad at the temple. As the trio warped, Pearl looked to Jade appraisingly.

"So, did you forget that Emerald is after you, too? Or, did you assume you can beat her and Steven can't?" she poked.

Jade winced as though struck. "It's the other way around, actually. I don't think Emerald is likely to be on Homeworld. She's already accomplished her goal there. I think she wants to draw Steven away because she's worried he can beat her."

Connie didn't believe her. "Is that what you think? Or did you just want to be the big hero?"

"No!" Jade insisted. "I mean...okay, fine! It's not about me wanting to be a big hero, but..."

"What is it, then?" Pearl prodded.

Jade failed to suppress an anguished look. "I just...everyone always asks so much of Steven. He always tries to do so much. I...I wanted him not to have to take care of everything, for once. I didn't want him to have to feel like he needs to be the big, inspirational hero that holds the team together."

"Jade," Pearl soothed, "I understand why you feel that way, but Steven is fully capable of—"

"I don't  _ care _ what he's capable of!" Jade interrupted harshly. "He's like  _ sixteen _ years old, Pearl! He's a  _ child _ ! Just because he  _ can _ do these things doesn't mean anyone should  _ expect _ them of him!"

"This isn't  _ really _ about Steven, is it?" Connie accused softly. "This is about you."

"What? No! I'm trying to help him!"

Pearl shook her head. "Connie's right, Jade. You're trying to protect Steven because of how you hurt yourself in the past by trying to be too much."

Jade rubbed her arm, lowering her voice to a whisper. "You two…" she sighed. "You're right. I see how much he feels like he needs to do, and I just...I don't wanna see him hurt himself like I did. He's such a good kid. He deserves better than that."

Pearl gave a soft look. "Jade. Steven doesn't  _ need _ someone to protect him. He needs people to stand beside him. As long as he knows he's not alone, he can do anything." She placed a hand on Jade's shoulder. "And you can, too. Because you aren't alone, either."

Connie and Pearl came in for a hug. Jade closed her eyes, taking it in. She still didn't agree that Steven should have so much responsibility on his shoulders, but she knew they were right—she couldn't just lift that responsibility from him on her own. They all had to help out, together.

"All right, Crystal Gems," Connie announced as they arrived, unsheathing her sword and readying a battle stance, "it's rescue mission time."

Jade and Pearl posed with their staff and spear, respectively, preparing themselves for combat. The three of them looked around, finding themselves in the dark. A pink heart-shaped gem flickered with a soft glow.

"Spinel?" Pearl whispered. "Is that you?"

"Oh, thank goodness, you arrived," Spinel's voice was full of relief as she stretched her way over to the trio. "I was worried Steven wasn't gonna come for me because of how dangerous—where's Steven?"

"Steven's back on Earth," Pearl explained, "preparing for an invasion."

Spinel perked up. "Oh, you guys already know there's gonna be an invasion? Well, it's a good thing you're ready, then. But...why did only three of you come here? It's gonna take a lot more than just us four to rescue the Diamonds."

"Sorry, Spinel, but I don't think we can spare any more gems. Emerald has to be planning to hit the Earth hard if she wants to get to Hope," Jade apologized.

Spinel scratched her head. "Who's Hope? For that matter, who are you?" She moved in for a closer look. "Oh,  _ I _ remember you! You're that human, the one that got eaten by a gem shard! So, who's Hope?"

"Hope's the gem whose shard that was," Connie explained. "Jade and Steven managed to put her back together."

Spinel looked surprised. "No kidding? The Crystal Gems can put broken gems back together now?"

"Well," amended Jade, "I can, technically. And so can Hope, since she's a Jade, too. I think. That's why Emerald is after us. She wants to use us as gem factories, probably because she can't fuel injectors without the Diamonds."

"Well,  _ you _ sure know a lot about gems, for somebody that used to be a human," Spinel commented.

"She's been a Crystal Gem for over a year now," Pearl pointed out, "and  _ I've _ been teaching her everything I know."

Spinel rolled her eyes and Connie giggled.

"So," Pearl changed subjects, "what's the situation, Spinel?"

"The place is  _ crawling _ with Rubies and Quartzes," Spinel relayed to them. "The Diamonds are being kept in the throne room, in bubbles. Emerald apparently has some plan for them." She appraised the trio. "You three are serious, aren't you? You really think the four of us can take on Emerald's army by ourselves?"

Jade boasted, "Pearl's the most skilled warrior the Crystal Gems have."

Connie added, "And Jade and I are her students! They won't know what hit 'em!"

Pearl looked embarrassed and shook her head, but Spinel laughed. "I like your spirit!" She sported a wild grin. "All right, then. Let's thrash 'em," she said in a low, dangerous voice.

* * *

As Steven ran toward town, he saw faintly that several objects were entering the atmosphere. Emerald's drop ships. He wished Jade had been wrong, so he could go help them save Spinel and the Diamonds. He picked up his pace, stopping only when he caught up with Mayor Nanefua.

"Nanefua! We have to get everyone to Little Homeworld. There's a gem attack coming!"

Nanefua sighed, one of her assistants handing her a megaphone. "I hope this doesn't become a regular thing," she commented before warning the townsfolk.

Steven and the gems hurried to help the people of Beach City to evacuate. By now, the citizens were used to the need to escape threats to the town. The gems always prevailed in defending everyone, but that didn't mean it wasn't dangerous. Thankfully, everyone was safely inside various shelters in Little Homeworld before the drop ships arrived. Steven stood with Lapis, Garnet, and Bismuth, watching as the ships descended. He hadn't seen Amethyst since she went to fetch Lars. What was Jade thinking? They needed all hands on deck to fight off this army.

The vessels neared the ground. Lapis saw that one was too close to Little Homeworld for comfort, so, with great concentration, she lifted her hand, forming an enormous arm with the ocean nearby. She brought the arm across the town, grasping the ship and tossing it downward, sending it crashing into a hill just outside of town.

"Can you do that to all of them?" Bismuth requested.

"Not before they land," Lapis observed grimly.

Quartzes began to push their way out from the ships by the hundred, trampling anything in their way. They made a beeline toward the gem settlement. Behind them, out of each ship, stepped a slightly larger, neon yellow gem. The bigger gems had more intimidating forms, and their faces betrayed no emotion; they were masks of cold, senseless destruction.

"Citrines," Garnet marveled. "Emerald isn't holding back."

Behind them, the gems of Little Homeworld gathered, ready to fight by their side.

"It doesn't matter who she sends," Steven asserted, "we'll stop them." He summoned his shield, and then he and his allies charged.

They held their own exceedingly well. Quartzes kept coming, but the defending gems poofed them as quickly as they arrived. In the chaos of the battle, Steven was separated from the others. He found a place where he could catch his breath, and looked up. His heart sank. There were more drop ships overhead, but they weren't about to land in Beach City. They were heading in all directions, away from the town. Toward other cities.

* * *

Lars appraised Amethyst as the Off-Colors worked to start up the Sun Incinerator. "And she didn't say  _ why _ you needed to come get me?"

Amethyst shrugged. "I dunno, dude, she just said 'get Lars and have him get his ship moving'!"

Monitoring the enemy ships while the Sun Incinerator was being prepped, the Rutile Twins noted that there were ships headed away from the city. 

"They're retreating already?" Rhodonite worried.

Padparadscha gasped, divining, "I predict...the invasion won't be planned to only happen in Beach City!"

Amethyst grimaced. "That's not fair! It's not like we have gems in other places on Earth to stop them!"

Lars stood up, sauntering forward to take command. "Then it's a good thing we've been getting the ship ready. Come on, crew! Let's pick up as many gems as we can and follow those ships!"

"What good will that do?" Rhodonite groaned.

"We can drop off a number of gems at each invasion site," the Rutile Twins realized. "If we can at least keep the army at bay, we can return to pick up reinforcements when the fight turns in our favor here!"

"Exactly!" Lars confirmed with a winning smile. "Are you with us, Amethyst?"

Amethyst gave Lars a high five. "Heck yeah, Spaceman, let's kick some butt!"

The Off Colors got to work. They had an invasion to foil.


	17. The Price of Arrogance

Spinel and her would-be rescuers barely made it out of the warp room before they ran into Emerald's troops. They stood with their backs to one another, fending off relentless attacks from Rubies and Quartzes.

"What's the plan?" Spinel questioned.

Jade looked to Connie, and the two nodded. Like in their first training session together, Jade took over defending the group. She twirled her staff with lightning speed and expert precision, turning away blows and keeping the enemy at bay. Pearl and Connie leapt in unison, each tearing at exposed gem forms with their weapons, making room for them to advance. Spinel and Jade followed, fighting to prevent themselves from being overtaken.

"Which way?" shouted Jade.

"The throne room is on the other side of the palace!" responded Spinel unhappily. "We've got a lot more fighting to do before we make it there!" She extended her arms to a cartoonish length, grasping the head of a Ruby in each hand and slamming them together with surprising force, instantly poofing them.

Connie and Pearl took each other's hands firmly, twirling around one another and fusing. "I can cut us a path!" Coerl assured the other two.

She summoned two enormous swords and became a swirling maelstrom of blades, causing the enemy forces to give pause. The three took the opportunity to round the corner and make their way down the hallway. After a bit, though, the enemy found its confidence and charged again. They fought valiantly, and the rescuers began to lose ground.

Then, Jade heard Emerald's voice. "I was  _ certain _ there would be more of you here," she taunted icily, "but, I suppose perhaps you wanted to make things easier for me."

Jade snorted. "We're more than enough to handle you, Emerald! And besides, I wasn't gonna let you lure Steven into a trap!"

Emerald cackled. "Fool! And what makes you think this was a trap for  _ him _ ?" She stepped forward, withdrawing a cruel looking scythe and engaging Coerl. Other gems gave them a wide berth. "I can kill the boy any time I please!"

Jade tried to help Coerl, but was cut off. "So, you were just trying to distract us from your invasion? We left most of the strongest gems back on Earth!"

Emerald grinned wickedly, easily parrying Coerl's attacks. "You really think someone like you could outsmart me? Tell me, how many gems are stationed in your precious Beach City right now? All of them, I would guess. And how many does that leave to defend the  _ rest _ of your miserable planet?"

Jade hesitated. "I…"

"Oh, and let me guess," Emerald gloated. "You had Captain Lars prepare to ferry gems to anywhere on Earth I might choose to invade, right?"

"Well…"

"Idiot!" Emerald crowed. "You played right into my hands either way! Either your friends will defend Beach City while my forces burn the rest of your world, or they'll spread themselves too thin and fall! All while you and your companions find yourselves crushed by the remainder of my army here!" She shoved Coerl to the side, baring her teeth at Jade. "You're not smarter than me, girl. There was  _ never _ a chance for you to win."

Emerald pressed the advantage on Coerl as several Quartzes struggled to hold her down. She batted away Coerl's swords and swung her scythe, ready to finish her off.

With a burst of speed, Jade rushed to Coerl and interposed herself between her and her attacker. She caught the scythe on her staff, eliciting delighted laughter from Emerald. "Aw, you really want to be the  _ hero _ , don't you?" she taunted, shoving hard as she put emphasis on the word.

Seeing Jade struggling, Spinel shouted, "That's a Rejuvenator! Don't let it touch you!" However, both she and Coerl were pushed back, leaving Jade to stand alone against Emerald.

"It must feel awful, doesn't it?" Emerald whispered. "The knowledge that you're beaten so thoroughly. That you weren't enough. That you weren't!" She shoved. "Even!" She shoved again. "Close!"

With a final shove, Jade's left knee buckled, leaving her unable to move. The scythe was inches from her face. She groaned with effort.

Emerald's laughter echoed through the palace. "Kneeling before me after all? It's far too late for that! I found out about you, Jade. I must admit, I was disappointed when I did. There's at least still some honor in being an off-color gem, you know. You'd still have some chance of living up to your potential! But you're not a gem, are you?"

"Of...course...I'm a gem," Jade strained.

Emerald's response was more mocking laughter. "You're no gem! You're not even human! You're just the remains of some lost consciousness stuffed into a vessel where it doesn't belong! The ghost of some lower life form, pretending it still exists!"

"I…" Jade couldn't find the strength to say anything more, putting all her power into trying to fend off the weapon.

"But don't worry," Emerald snarled in triumph, "I'll find a use for your body…" she pulled back on the scythe, ripping Jade's staff from her hands and sending her sprawling forward. She slammed a foot onto Jade's back, rearing up into the air. "...after I  _ erase you from existence _ !"

She brought the scythe down cruelly on Jade's neck, decapitating her gem form. A pink light spread across her head and body, and she poofed, leaving her cabochon to fall uselessly to the floor. Its glow seemed dimmer.

Coerl unfused, partially to escape the gems that were holding her in place, and partly due to Pearl's anguish. "Jade!" she screamed, darting past Quartzes, sliding in front of Emerald to grasp Jade's gem before the villain could snatch it up.

Emerald glared. "You're in my way," she announced coldly, bringing the Rejuvenator down to swipe at Pearl.

The weapon didn't make contact. Instead, Connie's sword flashed as she jumped in to the rescue, cleaving the scythe in two. Emerald stepped back. "You're persistent, for an organic creature," she allowed. "But, it doesn't matter. My forces here will capture all of you soon enough."

Two Quartzes that had moved to flank her now stepped in front, to block Connie from attacking. "As for me, I've wasted enough time here. I did what I needed to do. Now, I have business with  _ Steven Universe _ ." She disappeared in the crowd of gems.

* * *

The moment the extra drop ships peeled off to other locations was the moment Steven began to worry the Crystal Gems might not win the fight. Lars and Amethyst had stopped by on his ship, picking up volunteers to go and defend other cities from Emerald's army. It was good that those places would be defended, but every gem missing from Beach City was a gem that couldn't keep Beach City safe. For that matter, every gem still in Beach City was a gem that couldn't keep somewhere else safe.

Of all the other Crystal Gems, only Lapis and Garnet elected to stay and help. There were too few defenders. Still, he had to keep fighting. The Crystal Gems always pulled through. Lapis and Garnet were hundreds of yards away now, embroiled deeply in combat. Steven was, effectively, alone.

He began to focus on his breathing. Not to shut out the battle, but to keep himself calm.

_ Breathe in. _

He nimbly dodged out of the way of an incoming sword, slamming his shield into two Rubies hard enough to poof them.

_ Breathe out. _

He leapt high into the air, surrounding himself with a spiked pink bubble, careening down into more soldiers, poofing them, as well. He was doing well, all things considered. He hoped everyone else was faring better.

A ripple shot through the crowd, and the soldiers began to part. Far away, at the back of the seemingly endless stream of soldiers, a small, but imposing green figure walked forward. Emerald had arrived.

* * *

Amethyst stood in a field just outside a large city. She didn't know its name, only that it would be in danger if she couldn't stop Emerald's forces. Beside her, Bismuth spoke with Biggs, an old companion from Rose's rebellion. Bismuth seemed to have a  _ lot _ of old friends from back then.

"You ready?" Bismuth queried.

"I guess," she shrugged. "I wish Steven were here, though."

"I'm sure he's got his hands full," Bismuth guessed. "But, hey! We're Crystal Gems! We got this!"

In the distance, two huge saucers landed. The ground began to rumble with the sound of dozens of gems rushing forward.

Amethyst took a deep breath, drawing two whips from her gem, and with a confidence she didn't feel, replied, "Yeah. We got this."


	18. What Are Memories?

Seeing Pearl and Connie struggling in the middle of a bunch of Quartzes, and the human-gem...person, Jade, poofed, Spinel panicked. "We gotta go!" she called, but the two of them couldn't move.

Some rescue this turned out to be.

She stretched herself up and over the soldiers, extending her arms down to grab Pearl and Connie firmly and drag them into a nearby room where she thought they could be safe for a moment. She shut the door and barred it before anyone could follow. She looked around. All the walls and floors were a light pink hue, though it seemed someone had recently added furniture. This was Pink's old room.

Despite her annoyance at the failed rescue, Spinel was worried for Jade. Being hit by a Rejuvenator wasn't a pleasant experience. First, though, she addressed Pearl and Connie. "Are you two all right?"

Pearl nodded, but Connie asked, "What was that? The thing Emerald hit her with? You sounded worried."

Spinel winced. "A Rejuvenator," she elaborated. "The Diamonds used to use them on disobedient gems. It was meant to keep them in line. If she was hit by it...well...Pearl and I got hit by one before, and we ended up coming out of it okay, but…" she hesitated to finish the thought.

"But what?" Connie pressed.

Pearl sighed, gently setting the small lavender cabochon on the floor. "But, a Rejuvenator doesn't just poof a gem. It suppresses memories, and in some cases may be able to erase them completely."

Connie cocked her head. "So, we'll have to help Jade remember some things?"

"It isn't that simple," Pearl shook her head. "Jade isn't like other gems. She wasn't made from an injector to serve a purpose. In a sense, she's made  _ entirely _ from her memories. With a normal gem, they would return to a state similar to when they were first made, but...we don't know what will happen to her."

"And if this gem wakes up without any memories of her life...we may never be able to get her back," Spinel added somberly.

"We can try, though," Connie assured them. "We won't know until she wakes up and we try."

Spinel and Pearl exchanged pained glances, but nodded. The three waited in Pink's room, hoping in vain that the pounding at the door would stop while Jade's gem sat dormant on the floor. A few minutes later, however, it began to glow. Pearl looked excited, rushing forward. The glow of the gem expanded, forming a body. The face was Jade's, and her color was the same, but she was otherwise entirely different. Her hair was shorter, and she wore some sort of jumpsuit.

The gem looked around, and frowned. "Hm. A Spinel, a Pearl, and some sort of bipedal organic creature. I feel like this is the setup to a joke, but the delivery and the punchline escape me."

"That's...not Jade, is it?" Connie wondered.

The gem sized up Pearl. "You, there. Pearl. Who do you belong to?"

Pearl reacted as though she'd been shot. "I...I…"

The gem sighed. "Who do you serve?"

Spinel, thinking quickly, bluffed. "She's the personal Pearl to Pink Diamond! Pink, uh, isn't here right now, and left her in charge while she's away!" Technically it was only  _ half _ a lie. A third, really.

The gem stood silently for a moment, then began to sweat. She crossed her arms in a Diamond salute. "Commander Pearl!" she barked. "Please, accept my humblest apologies for my behavior, ma'am! I had no idea I was speaking to the voice of my Diamond!"

" _ Your _ Diamond?" Pearl questioned.

"Yes, ma'am, Commander! I was created on Pink Diamond's colony, and therefore serve her. I am Jade, facet…" she struggled. "Facet...um…" She saluted again, sweating harder. "Please forgive me, Commander! I do not recall my facet and cut. Also, I appear to be off-color." Her voice took on a quavering tone. "Please, I beg you not to take these as strikes against my character. I promise you that I am just as willing to give my life and devotion in service to my Diamond as any properly made gem!"

"Oh, I hate this," Pearl muttered under her breath.

The gem shifted her gaze toward the door, confused. "Commander? What is the source of that noise?"

Pearl thought for a moment about how to explain the situation so that a new gem could understand it. "The...incomparable Yellow Diamond's armies...have...revolted," she decided, "and have captured her and the other Diamonds. As...loyal servants...it is our...responsibility to restore them...to their rightful…" she nearly choked on the words, "place on the throne."

“Treason,” growled Jade. She stood at attention. “I await your orders, Commander Pearl! It will be my honor to fight to protect the Diamond Authority!”

Pearl put her face in her palm and groaned. Spinel tapped her on the shoulder and whispered, “Pearl. Do you have anything that might...jog her memory?”

Pearl snapped her fingers. “Oh! Of course!” She gave Spinel a smile. “Thank you, Spinel.” She stood up straighter, putting on the best air of authority she could. “Jade!”

Jade saluted. “Commander.”

“This is going to be...unpleasant, but I need you to watch something,” Pearl instructed. Her gem lit up as she prepared to project a hologram.

“As you wish, Commander Pearl!” Jade watched the hologram intently.

Using her ability to produce holograms, she emulated the memories Jade had shared with her during their meditation as Charoite. Connie went to check on the door, to allow privacy, but Spinel watched as Jade’s life as a human played before her eyes. Jade stood, unmoving, throughout the process. Pearl stared into Jade’s eyes, waiting for a hint of recognition. A single tear started to roll down Jade’s face as the recording ended. Pearl smiled hopefully.

Jade marveled at the tear, flabbergasted at its appearance. “That person. They seem...familiar.” She shook her head, and stood at attention once again. “Commander, that was a very sad story, but I’m afraid I don’t understand its relevance to the mission at hand.”

“I...wh—” Pearl panicked, “it...she’s you! That’s you!”

Not knowing how to respond, Jade said nothing, frowning, but standing straight, ready for orders.

Pearl felt a hand on her shoulder. “Come on, Pearl. We have to keep going,” Spinel reasoned. “We might need to try harder...or she might really be gone. But we have to get to the Diamonds, or else we’ll all end up shattered, and then there’ll be  _ no _ chance of getting her back.”

Pearl winced, but sighed. “You’re right,” she agreed. “Come on,” she waved to everyone, “there’s a side passage Pink would use to sneak out of her room when the other Diamonds weren’t paying attention. We can at least avoid being swarmed as soon as we open the door.”

Pearl pressed a panel on the wall, causing it to recess and open, revealing a dark hallway. Her gem began to glow to offer some light, and she led them into the passage.

Connie ran up beside Jade, who marched forward obliviously. “You...really don’t remember who you are?” she worried.

Jade side-eyed Connie. “Of course I remember who I am, little biped,” Jade pointed out with some measure of annoyance. “I am a Jade, created to serve Pink Diamond in her glorious army.”

“Oh,” Connie muttered dejectedly, “right.”

Spinel spoke with Pearl in the front while Jade and Connie tried to avoid further chat—and eye contact. “Were those...really her memories?”

“Yes,” Pearl confirmed. “She shared them with me, some time ago.”

“Heavy stuff,” Spinel tried to comment lightly.

“She’s been through a lot.”

“Who hasn’t?” Spinel shrugged, adding a small, humorless chuckle. Seeing Pearl’s sad expression, she continued, “You two close?”

Pearl closed her eyes for a moment, sighing. “She and Connie are both students of mine. Jade...I met her a lot more recently, but she’s pretty likeable when she’s...herself.” She shook her head. “When I first met her, she was lost and frightened. She’s tried to love before, and...was left behind. Sometimes, she reminds me of myself.” Pearl looked devastated.

Spinel cracked a weak smile. “Hey. You’ll bring her back, okay?” she encouraged. “Don’t worry.”

Pearl allowed the corners of her lips to move just slightly upward, but then straightened them again. They had reached the end of the passage. A wall stood in front of them. “All right,” she informed the others, “this will lead us back out into the hall, most likely only a few dozen yards away from the bulk of the forces Emerald brought here. It won’t be long before we’re surrounded. We need to make it to the throne room. If we can free even one of the Diamonds, they may be able to reform and help us.”

Spinel and Connie nodded in understanding, and Jade saluted. “Understood, Commander Pearl. The priority is the rescue of the Diamonds.”

“No!” Pearl corrected sternly, “The priority is staying alive!”

Jade’s blank expression faltered for a moment, but she responded, “Yes, Commander Pearl.”

“Please, stop calling me that,” she requested. “It’s just ‘Pearl’.”

“As you command, Pearl.”

Pearl rolled her eyes, and Connie and Spinel snickered despite themselves. She pressed her hand against the wall and stood back as it, too, slid out of the way. “I hear something over there!” they heard shouted from down the hall.

“Go!” Pearl commanded, summoning her staff.

The small rescue squad rushed out into the hall toward the throne room. Behind them, dozens of Quartzes drew closer. They dashed madly, Jade struggling to keep up.

“What’s wrong with you?!” Spinel growled at her. “You were a lot faster before, what are you doing?”

Jade couldn’t respond, falling farther behind. Spinel groaned, rolled her eyes, and grabbed Jade, pulling her along as they continued to rush away from the incoming soldiers. Just as Connie seemed as though she was starting to tire, the entrance to their goal was in sight. Their hearts soared. They were going to make it!

A huge orange Quartz with long, light-colored hair and teal splotches along her skin stepped out from behind the doorway, grinning evilly. “Going somewhere?”

“Jasper!” Pearl exclaimed in alarm, halting in place. The others stopped, as well. They  _ weren’t _ going to make it.

* * *

For some reason, Emerald hadn’t advanced. It seemed she only wanted to watch as her army clashed with the Crystal Gems who remained in Beach City. Steven gritted his teeth, holding tightly to his shield as gem after gem pounded against it. He had almost given way when suddenly, a tremendous waterspout scoured the area around him, lifting soldiers effortlessly from the ground and flinging them in all directions. Lapis touched down next to him.

“Steven!” she gasped for breath. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Steven answered, relieved. “There are so many of them! Why haven’t Pearl and the others come back yet? Do you think something might have happened to them?”

“I don’t know,” Lapis spoke soberly, “but if we don’t get some help soon, something might happen to  _ us _ .”

The two fought for a while against the tide of invaders. They seemed unending. Somewhere in the crowd, Steven heard Garnet shout his name.

“I’m on it!” Lapis confirmed, taking off into the air to assist her.

Steven was alone again. As Citrines closed in on Garnet and Lapis, ensuring their distraction, Emerald began her march forward. “Steven Universe!” she snarled. “Finally, we meet!” She reached up toward the gem in her eye socket and removed a tremendous sword. The blade was easily as long as Steven was tall, and its bulk was such that it appeared Emerald had to struggle to pull it from her gem. “Today is a great day for me! Today, you die!”

Steven readied his shield against Emerald’s charge. Couldn’t  _ one _ Homeworld gem just stop by to say ‘hello’ for once?

* * *

Amethyst, Biggs, and Bismuth lay on the ground, exhausted. Somehow, they had managed to poof and bubble all of the gems that had advanced toward the human city behind them. They struggled to catch their breath, but Bismuth laughed.

“I told you, Amethyst! The Crystal Gems always come out on top!”

Biggs echoed her laughter, and Amethyst admitted, “Yeah, all right, we got ‘em.” She rolled over onto her back. “I hope the others are doing okay.”

Her eyes widened as a shadow passed overhead. An enormous gem warship coasted over the horizon, headed directly for Beach City.

“I don’t think they’re doing okay,” Bismuth uttered unsteadily. “Do you have a way to call up the kid with the spaceship?”

“Uh…” Amethyst pulled out her phone, entering Lars’s number. “Yeah.”

The phone rang for a moment, and Lars answered. “Hey, um, I’m kinda in the middle of a thing right now, can you call back later?”

“Spaceman!”

“Amethyst? What’s going on?”

“Dude, there’s a  _ huge _ ship headed right for Steven! You gotta get over there!”

There was a moment’s pause, and then Lars responded, “All right. We’re on our way.”

* * *

“Jade, you need to summon your staff!” Pearl implored, taking up a defensive position between the rest of her companions and Jasper.

“My what?”

“You don’t know how to—gah!” Pearl was cut off as Jasper took a swing at her and she was forced to dodge.

“It’s finally time for me to take revenge on you Crystal Gems for everything you took from me!” Jasper growled.

Connie, Pearl, and Spinel did their best to fight back, but against the combined might of Emerald’s forces and Jasper, it was all they could do just to hold their ground. Jade stood uselessly in the center of the melee, desperately trying to land blows on soldiers that had no effect.

“This isn’t gonna work while we’re one down!” Spinel warned. “If you were ever gonna remember yourself, Jade, now’s the time!” Jasper slammed a fist down into Jade’s face, sending her sliding across the floor. Spinel winced. “Ooh, she’s gonna feel that one tomorrow.”

Pearl perked up with sudden realization. “Feeling! That’s it!” She rushed over to Jade, commanding to Connie and Spinel, “I need you two to buy me a little time!”

“Uh, we’ll do our best,” Connie promised unsurely.

Spinel wrapped herself around Jasper, attempting to hold her back. Connie swung her sword wildly at the surrounding soldiers to try to make space. Pearl reached a hand down to the prone Jade.

“Take my hand,” Pearl instructed Jade softly, “and follow my lead.”


	19. A Small Measure of Success

Pearl took Jade through the steps of the tango she’d taught her—their means of becoming in sync with one another. Jade followed intently, sweating as they entwined themselves. As Pearl leaned in closely, Jade blushed.

“It will be all right,” Pearl assured her.

The two merged.

In a blinding flash of light, Charoite was back. She observed the scene around her. Jasper had gotten a hand on Spinel and tossed her to the side. Connie was being pushed back. She took stock of herself. Pearl was there, part of her. She was hopeful, but worried. Deeper, she found that Jade was there, too. She was back. She was definitely frightened, and a little sad. However, something lay beyond Jade’s fear and anguish. Frustration. Anger. Jade was furious.

“Fusion!” Jasper exclaimed in disbelief. “ _ Still _ , you resort to fusion! Weaklings! Fight me, then!”

Charoite spared Jasper a glance, but no more. She was nothing. All of these Quartzes. All of them were nothing. No, they were  _ worse _ than nothing. They were  _ Emerald’s _ forces. The ones who had tried to destroy Jade’s mind. She drew her four swords, their thin blades glistening in the artificial light of the hallway.

“I said, fight me!” demanded Jasper, charging. Charoite merely stepped to the side, allowing Jasper’s momentum to take her past the group and into the wall.

“Charoite!” Connie beamed. “I’m so glad to see you!” When there was no response, she frowned. “Charoite?”

“Fall,” Charoite commanded the army that surrounded them. They glanced at one another, unsure how to respond. She struck.

In the time it took Jasper to stand and shake off the daze of overshooting her target, Charoite had poofed six Quartzes. She poofed several more before Jasper called out, “Don’t waste your time on the small fry!”

Charoite’s head pivoted toward Jasper, rage in her eyes. She immediately engaged with her, though she found that Jasper was able to block her blades using a piece of debris she’d wrenched from the floor. She struck ferociously, driving Jasper back against the doors to the throne room. Angry at losing ground, Jasper attempted to get a swing in. She lost an arm for the effort. Growling, she dropped her makeshift shield, and Charoite cut her form to ribbons. She lasted a disturbingly long time before finally poofing. Her gem settled on the floor.

Charoite stared at Jasper’s gem with pent-up fury. She raised one of her blades in a reverse grip, angling the point at Jasper’s gem. She was about to strike when she was suddenly paralyzed. Her body began to vibrate. Jade and Pearl were out of sync with one another. She wasn’t supposed to shatter gems; she knew that. She had to separate. She unfused, leaving Jade standing over Jasper’s gem with her staff held overhead. Pearl stood in front of her, grimacing.

“Jade, stop!” she insisted.

Tears were streaming down Jade’s face as she froze. Why was she standing over a gem like that? She wouldn’t kill anyone. She wasn’t a murderer, or a shatterer. “Pearl, I didn’t...I wasn’t going to...I don’t want to…I don’t understand what’s happening!” She lowered her staff as she cried.

Pearl pulled her in for a hug. “It’s okay, Jade. You’re safe, now. You’re here.”

Spinel dragged Pearl, Connie, and Jade into the throne room and slammed the doors shut. “Maybe you could have your tender moments  _ inside _ where we aren’t gonna get killed!” she complained.

Jade looked to the others. “What happened to me?”

“Emerald hit you with a Rejuvenator,” Spinel described. “It suppressed your memories. We were worried they might be wiped completely. How are you feeling?”

She sank to the floor. “I feel...awful. I’m...I could have been  _ gone _ forever. She hit me and I was just... _ gone _ . It’s...it’s not even like she killed me! I just wasn’t  _ me _ anymore. How could someone do that?” she wailed. “How could someone do that?” she repeated in a whisper.

“It’s okay.” Pearl sidled up next to her, putting an arm around her. “You’re back, and that’s what matters.”

She leaned over onto Pearl’s shoulder and sobbed quietly. “I just got so angry! I didn’t mean to try to smash her gem, Pearl. I wasn’t going to do it. I wouldn’t have done it. Please, believe me. I’m not a bad person. I was just angry. Please, please, believe me,” Jade begged.

Pearl stroked her hair gently. “I believe you, Jade.”

“I’m sorry. I’m not bad,” Jade repeated over and over. “I’m sorry. I’m not bad.”

Connie and Spinel gave the scene an awkward glance and walked together toward the throne to free the Diamonds from their bubbles. As they popped each one, it was apparent that it would be some time before any of them came to. Connie asked Spinel, “Do you think she’ll be okay?”

“I don’t know,” Spinel guessed, “but probably. She’s taking it really hard, but I don’t blame her. It’s bad enough for a gem. I can’t imagine what it’d be like for a human.”

“But...she  _ is _ a gem,” Connie pointed out. “She remembered who she was.”

“Huh,” Spinel remarked, “I guess you’re right. If the Rejuvenator didn’t erase her human memories completely, that means her consciousness is solidly embedded into her gem. She’s not just inhabiting someone else’s body; that’s actually her. This isn’t something that’s happened before,” she admitted. “I don’t think we have any idea what to expect from her.”

“Steven’s dad said the same thing about him,” Connie commented. “He said that humans and gems are still some pretty new territory.”

“It always comes back to him, doesn’t it?” Spinel thought. “Gems were the same for tens of thousands of years, and all of a sudden, he comes along, and everything is different.”

“Yeah, but different doesn’t have to mean that things are bad,” Connie insisted. Spinel’s response was a heartfelt smile.

With Pearl’s help, Jade stood up. Wiping her eyes, she apologized profusely. After the fifth apology, Pearl demanded that she stop.

“I’m s—I mean. I…” Jade sighed, pulling at her hair. “I’ll be all right, Pearl. I just need to collect myself. Thank you for being here for me.”

Pearl smiled. “Of course.”

Jade finally got a good look at herself. “I look...different,” she realized. “Why do I look different?”

Pearl appraised her. “You’ll find your form might change as you change. It also might change because you want it to. There are always things about us that remain the same, but gem forms are fluid.”

Looking down, Jade saw a darker purple miniskirt over her tights. Her tank top had been replaced by a v-neck blouse. “I like the skirt,” she admitted.

“The tattoo is a nice touch, too,” Pearl mentioned. When Jade looked questioningly at her, she retrieved a mirror from her gem. 

Jade touched her face. Around her right eye was a tattoo of a rounded, five-pointed star. It looked awfully similar to the one she’d seen on Steven’s shirt.

Pearl giggled. “Now, you’re  _ officially _ a Crystal Gem.”

Jade allowed herself to laugh, too. “Once the Diamonds come to, we’ll need to get back to Beach City and stop Emerald,” she concluded as she calmed herself.

“Are you sure you’re up for that?” Spinel poked. “You got...pretty mad back there.”

Jade nodded. “Yeah. I let myself get too caught up in being angry to see straight,” she agreed. “There really isn’t an excuse for it. I’d be lying if I said I’m fine, so I won’t. But, I’ll be okay. Besides,” she added, “Emerald isn’t exactly gonna wait for me to process all this before she tries to kill Steven.”

* * *

Behind Connie and Spinel, Yellow Diamond’s gem began to glow and float in the air. Slowly, Yellow Diamond formed. She was holding her head. “Ugh,” she complained, “I’ve got an awful headache.” She surveyed the throne room. “You all look terrible. What happened? I thought you were going to call  _ Steven  _ for help, Spinel.”

Spinel shrugged. “Well, I did, but it turned out Earth had problems of its own. Emerald showed up there with even more troops than she did here.”

“We’re...kinda trapped in here,” Jade interjected. “I’m not sure how we’re going to get past Emerald’s forces.”

Yellow groaned and stood, lumbering over to the door. She towered over the others, and Jade found herself glad that the Diamonds weren’t enemies of the Crystal Gems anymore. Yellow threw open the doors, exposing herself to the soldiers on the other side. They faltered. “You all have until the count of one to leave the palace,” she announced, sticking out a hand. The hand crackled with yellow lightning. “One,” she declared, releasing tremendous bolts of lightning down the hall.

One after another, each gem’s form disappeared in a puff of smoke. Their gems scattered to the floor, motionless. “Couldn’t you have just done that when they first arrived?” Jade blurted out.

Yellow looked to her with annoyance. “The fused Citrines didn’t lose their forms as easily,” she excused herself. She appraised Jade. “Besides, you don’t exactly look as though  _ you _ made it through intact,” she accused.

Jade held up her hands in a gesture of peace. “You know what? More than fair.”

“However,” Yellow continued, “I do owe you all my thanks for your assistance. As soon as White and Blue regenerate, we’ll come to Earth to offer our aid.”

“Oh,” Jade frowned, “and, uh, sorry. About being wrong, about the, um, army. I guess they were just sorta...mad.”

“Hmph. We’ll bubble them here, and once this whole mess has calmed down, we’ll ask Steven to help sort it out.”

“Great!” Pearl clapped together her hands. “Now that  _ that’s _ settled, we really should be on our way back to Earth,” she insisted, unhappy to be so close to the Diamonds. “Are you coming with us, Spinel?”

“I...better stay here, in case Emerald left anyone else behind,” Spinel concluded, watching Yellow’s disapproving face.

“Well,” Connie told Spinel, “I’m glad we were able to help.”

Spinel and Yellow bade the trio farewell. When they were out of earshot, Jade questioned Pearl. “Do the Diamonds make you uncomfortable?”

“Yes. We fought them for an awfully long while. Things are still...tense.”

Connie hugged Jade. “I’m glad you’re back,” she said.

Jade gave a wide smile. “I’m glad I’m back, too.” She frowned reflexively. “I can’t believe I called you a ‘little biped’.”

“You called Pearl ‘Commander Pearl’,” Connie added.

“Please don’t ever do that again,” Pearl requested.

The three were glad for a lift in their spirits as they stepped onto the warp pad to return to the temple on Earth. When they arrived, Peridot came out from behind a piece of furniture.

“Oh, thank the stars!” she cried. “You’re all back! Emerald came through here earlier, but she just  _ ignored me _ ! I thought something awful must have happened!”

“Oh, trust me, it did,” Jade assured her. “She used some nasty weapon to wipe my memory.”

“But,” Pearl interrupted, laughing nervously at Peridot’s frightened expression, “we were able to help her remember! So, we’re all safe!”

Peridot was unconvinced. “Oh, my stars! There’s only one thing to do!”

She walked up to Jade, pursing her lips. Jade scratched her head. “Um…”

Peridot approached closer. “Peridot?” Connie inquired.

“Peridot, what are you doing?” Jade wondered.

Peridot looked around at the confused faces of Jade, Pearl, and Connie, blushing thoroughly. “I...er...well...I was going to kiss you! To...help you remember, in case you were still missing any memories,” she admitted, embarrassed.

Jade scooped her up off the floor, laughing. “Well, I appreciate the gesture,” she said, planting a modest kiss on Peridot’s cheek, “but I’m pretty sure my memory’s intact.”

“So...you’re really okay?” Peridot asked.

“Oh, absolutely not!” Jade answered without dropping her smile. “I’m gonna go punch Emerald right in her stupid face! Wanna come with?”

“Uh...sure?” Peridot responded tentatively.

“Great!” Jade exclaimed, allowing Peridot to climb around to her back, grasping her shoulders. “Hold on!”

She rushed out of the house, toward Emerald’s army, at full sprint. Pearl and Connie nearly instantly lost sight of her.

“We should...probably follow her,” Pearl suggested.

“...Yeah.” They made their way outside, into the fray.


	20. The Turnaround

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Later Reference: https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertanaas/2019/08/24/the-spirit-of-the-rose-1483-carat-purple-pink-diamond-expected-to-sell-for-60-million/

Steven was sweating profusely. With a ring of soldiers keeping their distance, chanting for her, Emerald had pushed him back against the wall one of Beach City’s boardwalk shops. She hammered down on his shield with her claymore, not allowing him a moment’s respite. With each strike, his body shook a little more, until, finally, his shield broke.

“Why are you doing this?” he demanded.

Emerald chuckled. “Oh, no. You’re not going to talk me out of killing you, Steven Universe! I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time!”

She swung at him, but he summoned another shield. That shield, too, shattered.

“Ha! You’ve still got some  _ fight _ in you! Let’s see if I can’t beat it out of you!”

She swung wildly, Steven barely fending off her sword with flickering shields he couldn’t maintain. He was tired. Lapis and Garnet were no longer in sight. He knew he couldn’t give up, but he didn’t know how much more he could take. Emerald held her sword aloft, ready to bring it down in a heavy arc.

“Now, Steven Universe, this is where you die!” she shouted. She began to swing the sword down.

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, Jade swooped in, slamming her fist into the side of Emerald’s head, transferring all of Jade’s momentum, driving her to the ground and sending her skidding across the boardwalk, shattering boards and catching splinters as she slid a full fifteen feet, her sword disappearing as she lost concentration. Perched on Jade’s back, Peridot held up a fist and cheered.

“How’s the floor taste, Emerald?” Jade screamed a taunt. She turned back to Steven. “Man, that felt good! Are you okay?”

Steven laughed, wiping some sand from his face. “A little tired, but I’m fine. Boy, am I glad to see you! Are the Diamonds okay?”

“They’re safe,” Jade informed him. “Things got a little rough on Homeworld, but we made it back in one piece.”

Peridot saw Lapis fighting off in the crowd as they shifted to reassess the situation, rushing off to help her. Jade kept an eye on her, but didn’t move to stop her. She saw the two embrace before returning to the fray. Jade turned back to Steven, offering her hand. He accepted it, standing. He stepped in front of her as Emerald crawled back to her feet. She charged him, forming her sword again, but he caught it on his shield, pushing her away.

“It’s all right, Jade. This is my fight,” he told her.

“What? What are you talking about?” Jade chided him. “You don’t need to do this! This isn’t  _ your _ fight, it’s—”

Jade paused mid-sentence. Pearl’s words echoed in her mind.  _ “Steven doesn’t need someone to protect him. He needs people to stand beside him.” _

She stepped up next to Steven. “This isn’t  _ just _ your fight, Steven. It’s my fight, too.”

He looked at her, then nodded. “Together?” he offered, holding out his hand.

“Together,” she confirmed, grasping it firmly. Their gems began to glow.

“Oh, no, you don’t!” Emerald shouted in defiance, rushing at them.

* * *

There was a brilliant flash of light, but as Emerald swung her sword, she cleaved nothing but air.

Above her, a pink gem with lavender undertones floated, one leg raised as though pirouetting on an invisible platform. Their long hair flowed with the wind, suspended in the air. Their soft, plump face looked down on Emerald with an almost detached amusement in their eyes. That they had four eyes—and their skin and hair tones—were the only things that would have given away that they weren’t just a particularly tall, thick human. They cracked a smile, slowly descending, but refusing to touch the ground.

Enraged, Emerald hefted her sword towards them. “Two monstrosities, combined into one!” she barked. “I’ll just kill you both!”

They held out a hand, summoning a rose-colored shield. The weapon bounced harmlessly off. With their other hand, they rubbed their chin. “‘Purple-Pink Diamond is a mouthful,” they thought. “I think...Spirit Diamond will do,” they decided. They looked to Emerald. “Yes. You’ll call me Spirit Diamond,” they supposed, though it seemed more a suggestion than a demand.

“I’ll call you whatever I please, abomination!” Emerald countered, hacking away furiously at the shield.

Spirit Diamond laughed. “Yes, let’s work out that anger of yours. You’re quite strong,” they commented as Emerald’s assault began to push them.

Emerald growled. A Quartz soldier stepped forward to assist her, stabbing at the fusion. Suddenly, Spirit Diamond was gone. The Quartz felt a tap on her shoulder. The fusion hadn’t disappeared, they’d simply moved behind her, faster than her eyes could track.

“Excuse me,” Spirit Diamond implored in their sonorous voice, “but I believe we were having a conversation. I’d prefer not to be interrupted.”

They appraised the hapless Quartz, who began to glow pink and float slowly up into the air. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to wait over there,” Spirit Diamond apologized, flinging the Quartz far off into the ocean.

The rest of the soldiers backed off. Emerald stared daggers into their eyes. She attacked again.

“Please, forgive your soldiers for interrupting us. I’m sure they meant well,” Spirit Diamond suggested.

Emerald growled. “Forgive...what are you...We’re fighting, here!”

“ _ You’re _ fighting,” they corrected. “ _ I _ am talking. Which, if I’m being honest, isn’t making us much progress. It would be a lot more helpful for the process if you were to talk, as well.”

“I don’t  _ want _ to talk,” Emerald hissed, “I  _ want _ to kill you!”

She struck with renewed vigor. Spirit Diamond struggled to keep up. Emerald’s weapon was heavy, but she wielded it with ease. They began to grow nervous. “Okay. I can tell you’re quite angry. That’s fine. It’s okay to be angry, but I’d like to talk out that anger with you,” they pleaded.

“I know how to take out my anger!” Emerald lashed out, cracking Spirit Diamond’s shield.

With that crack in their shield, Spirit Diamond’s calm demeanor finally broke. “Enough!” they declared angrily, thrusting a fist at Emerald. She was sent flying, crashing into a home up the street. For a moment, they stared at the wreckage of the home in disbelief. They clutched their head as if in pain, and unfused.

* * *

Steven and Jade fell to the ground next to each other, dazed. Jade frowned. “What happened?”

Steven rubbed his head, sighing. “We got mad,” he answered.

“Oh,” Jade rubbed her arm, admonishing herself. “Sorry, that’s, uh, my fault. Today’s been a bad day for me. It wasn’t smart for me to try to fuse right now.”

He shook his head. “It wasn’t just you,” he consoled her, “I got mad, too. We needed to stop. We could have really hurt her.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not so sure we’re gonna be getting through to her without hurting her, Steven,” she pointed out apologetically. She sighed. “But, you’re not wrong. For one thing, I’d really like not to be a shatterer. For another, if something happened to her, she wouldn’t be able to call off her army.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” agreed Steven. “We should—” He paused as the sky darkened.

Overhead, a tremendous green vessel appeared, obscuring the sun. It took the shape of a huge, green arm. The hand at the end of that arm pointed accusingly at the Earth.

“So, that’s what her ship looks like from the outside,” Jade spoke with awe.

In the distance, a person-sized opaque green bubble floated up toward the ship.

“I’m gonna guess that’s Emerald,” Steven suggested.

Jade surveyed the scene. The gems that had surrounded them had already fled, more eager to fight the others on the beach than to face their earlier fusion, which was a good thing. They needed to get up to Emerald’s ship. She didn’t know what the warlord planned to do from there, but she decided it couldn’t be good. She eyed the various, hovering transports that had ferried soldiers to the planet’s surface. “Hm,” she pondered. “Say, Steven. How high can you jump?”

He looked up doubtfully at Emerald’s ship as it hovered in the upper atmosphere. “Not that high. Why?”

“Because,” she revealed, “I have a plan.”

* * *

Pearl and Connie caught up with Garnet just as more Quartzes arrived. “Glad to see you made it home safely,” Garnet commented. “Where’s Jade?”

“She went to meet up with Steven,” Connie told her.

“Keep an eye out for her, would you, Garnet? I don’t think she’s in the best condition to fight right now,” Pearl requested.

“If I see her, I’ll let you know. But first, we have to deal with these Quartzes.”

“It’s like there’s no end to them!” Lapis shouted from overhead, Peridot riding on her shoulders. “She’s gotta run out of troops  _ sometime _ , right?”

While Lapis blasted Quartzes with water, Peridot scanned the battlefield. Further back toward the temple, she saw the source of their troubles. Inert gems began to glow, float, and reform. “They aren’t endless!” Peridot relayed to the others. “We aren’t bubbling them, so they’re just regenerating—really quickly!”

“Well,” Garnet concluded, “that’s useful to know.”

“Connie!” shouted Pearl.

“Right!” confirmed Connie. The two fused into Coerl, and fought with renewed vigor.

Lapis and Peridot landed. Each time Garnet, Lapis, or Coerl poofed a gem, Peridot quickly ran over and bubbled it, sending it to Little Homeworld. “This is gonna be...a lot of bubbles!” she yelled.

“Just keep it up!” Coerl barked. “We can win this!”

They continued to struggle, slowly depleting the number of soldiers that surrounded them. “She’s right!” Garnet agreed. “We’ve got this!”

Emerald’s warship came into view, but even that wouldn’t dishearten them. The Crystal Gems knew they now had a winnable fight.


	21. The Plan

“I’m concerned. Should I be concerned when you say ‘I have a plan’?” Steven asked.

Jade pointed up to one of the saucer-shaped ships that was hovering just above the boardwalk, about fifty feet in the air. “There. You see that ship? Can you jump that high?”

“Uh...yeah, I can see it. I should be able to make the jump with my gem powers. Why?”

Jade grinned wildly. “All right, then. That’s our ship, now. It belongs to us.”

“What?”

“Don’t worry about it! We’ve got this,” she assured him. “Just follow my lead.”

“Wait, can’t we talk—” Steven began, but Jade had already rushed off. He sighed. “All right, fine, I’ll trust you.”

He called upon the powers of his gem to negate the effect of gravity on himself temporarily, leaping upward. Jade rushed back, picking up speed. She jumped from the top of the beach’s lighthouse cliff, barreling toward the opening at the bottom of the ship. She caught herself on the lip of the opening, flipping up onto her feet on the deck of the ship inside. Steven landed daintily next to her. A crew of angry-looking Rubies got up from their chairs, stomping toward them.

“We’re gonna borrow this a minute,” Jade explained to them.

She and Steven tossed them out of the bottom of the ship, with Steven shouting an apology to them as they fell.

“All right, great,” Jade patted herself on the back, “we made it this far. Now, we just need to fly up and get to Emerald’s warship so we can catch her.”

“Oh, I get it! Good thinking!” Steven sat at the controls, looking for one that he could drive the ship with. Thankfully, he’d become accustomed enough to gem technology that he could fly the thing. They flew up toward Emerald’s warship. He hoped Jade didn’t expect to be able to use the ship’s weapons for anything, because he had no idea if it even had weapons.

“Okay. So, how do we call Emerald’s ship?” Jade asked.

“Uh…I’m not sure,” Steven admitted. “Oh! Here, this light’s flashing, why don’t I…”

Steven pressed a button on the console, and a small, blue gem with a teardrop under her left eye appraised him. “Well. Steven Universe. Looks like we meet again. And, you’ve brought the human in a gem suit with you. She’s certainly made a lot of trouble for Emerald’s empire lately.”

“Aquamarine,” Steven addressed her. “What do you want?”

“The same thing Emerald wants, of course. For the glory of the Gem Empire to live on—with or without the Diamonds!”

“You know her?” Jade questioned Steven.

“She kidnapped my friends and family a few years ago, and I had to surrender myself to Homeworld to get her to let them go,” he explained.

“Yes,” Aquamarine huffed, “and after that, you caused us no end of grief!”

“Aquamarine,” Jade waved dismissively. “Could you please open up the docking bay for us so we can talk to Emerald?” she inquired.

Aquamarine practically guffawed. “Open up the docking bay? For you two? Not a chance.”

Jade allowed herself a dangerous grin. She issued an ultimatum. “Let me put it this way for you. Either you open up the ship’s docking bay, or I’m gonna make it a  _ new _ docking bay, and neither you  _ nor _ Emerald is gonna be happy with where I put it.” For emphasis, she slammed her palm down on the button, cutting the communication.

Steven looked at her in a panic. “Whaaaat are you doing? They’re not gonna open up the doors because you  _ threatened _ them!”

“They’re not gonna open up the doors at all,” Jade stated matter-of-factly. “But, I figured I’d give them the chance to. Does this thing have some kind of shields?”

“Yes, but…”

“Good, because they’re probably going to start firing weapons on us.”

“Shouldn’t you have asked that  _ before _ we stole the ship?”

“Well, I figured we’d be going too fast, since we’re gonna crash into Emerald’s ship, but—”

“ _ We’re gonna crash into Emerald’s ship?! _ ” Steven interrupted.

Jade looked at him oddly. “I mean, yes. That’s how we’re gonna get on board.”

“That’s your plan? To crash a ship into the side of her warship so we can get on board and beat her into submission?”

Jade gave an apologetic grin. “Well...she’s right; I can’t outsmart her. So, I figure the best thing we can do is to just go at her as directly as possible.”

Steven sputtered incredulously. “That’s...reckless!”

“A little bit, yeah, but we can pull it off.”

He put his face in his palm. “What happened to the person who got nervous about asking Peridot and Lapis on a date?”

“Oh,” Jade declared, “Anxiety Jade is taking a backseat to Crisis Jade right now!”

“Wait. You have multiple—”

“No, no,” she interrupted, “I’m—it’s an expression I use. I’ll fall apart  _ later _ . Right now, we have people to save,” she insisted, “and we are gonna  _ save _ those  _ people _ , Steven.”

“You’re really serious about this, aren’t you?”

“I am. And don’t worry, I thought it through more than you think,” she elaborated. “We’re gonna crash into the ship, and you’re gonna put up a bubble so we don’t get caught up in the crash. Then, we make a beeline for Emerald. I’m going to guess she’s on the bridge. When we get there, we shut the door and you lock the console so it won’t open. Or, if you don’t know how to lock it, we’ll break the console to stop anyone else from getting in. I distract her, and you trap her in a bubble until we can convince her to call off her invasion.”

“How are we gonna get to Emerald before anyone stops us?”

“Oh, that’s easy. You’ll just take my hand and I’ll drag you there as fast as I can run.”

He pondered for a moment, and then shrugged. “All right. You’ve convinced me. You planned this further ahead than I thought. It can’t go any worse than anything else that’s happened today.”

“Although, I do have to admit one thing, Steven.”

“What’s that?”

“I think I screwed up, sending Lars to chase Emerald’s army around the world,” she confessed.

“Well, it’s too late to question that now,” he reasoned. “We’ll just need to hope he was able to do some good.”

The ship shuddered as the warship fired on them, but it held steady. Steven pushed the ship’s throttle as far as he could. “If we’re gonna break in,” he observed, “we’re gonna have to be going pretty fast.”

* * *

“I see Jade,” Garnet relayed to Coerl, “and Steven. They’re about to do something reckless.”

Coerl turned just in time to see the pair jump aboard the drop ship. “What are they doing?”

Garnet adjusted her glasses. “They’re about to take the fight to Emerald,” she divined.

“That’s insane! Emerald isn’t just going to let them dock!” Coerl exclaimed. “They’ll be shot out of the sky! Oh, I knew we should have stopped Jade before she ran off.”

Lapis shot Coerl a smile. “Relax, I’m sure those two know what they’re—” She was interrupted by a loud explosion overhead as the drop ship collided with the warship. “—doing.” She stared up in horror.

Looking further into the future, Garnet smiled. “Well, now,” she said, “that’s a surprise.”

* * *

Steven threw up a bubble around himself and Jade as their ship gathered speed, slamming directly into the wrist of Emerald’s ship. They tumbled in the bubble as fire and debris exploded outward from around them, scattering chunks of metal from both ships. They shoved the bubble out through a hole that had been cut through their ship in the crash, narrowly escaping before it teetered over the edge of the deck where they landed, plummeting toward the Earth below. They could just barely make out a huge stream of water catching the craft, tossing it into the ocean.

“I hope she isn’t mad,” Jade winced.

“About having to catch the ship to protect the city?”

“About us flying a spaceship up and crashing it.”

“Focus,” Steven warned.

“Right. Okay. Are you gonna be okay here? Are you gonna need to hold your breath or keep the bubble up?” Jade worried.

“No,” Steven said, dropping the bubble. “The warship’s shields will keep the air in.”

“Okay. Take my hand.”

He took her hand and she flung him up onto her back. “Didn’t expect I’d be getting a piggy-back ride today,” he remarked. “Though, I’m a little old for those.”

“Focus,” she chided with a grin.

She rushed toward the bridge of the ship, becoming a blur. Gems leapt to try to tackle her, but she managed to sidestep them as she made her way through winding corridors. As they neared their goal, the ship appeared more and more empty. Most of the gems on board must have either been in the back half of the ship, or else they were sent down as part of the invasion.

“There it is!” she shouted, the two of them bursting into the room.

Steven jumped from her back and punched the console, closing the door and sending sparks flying. The two of them exchanged triumphant grins.

“See?” Jade bragged. “Exactly as I planned—whoa!”

Emerald interrupted her boast with a savage thrust of her claymore, which she barely managed to bat out of the way. She roared, swinging at Steven, who blocked with his shield, the sound of the weapon’s collision echoing through the chamber. Jade shifted around behind Emerald, trying to flank her. Steven thrust with his shield and she swung with her staff, with Emerald catching the shield on her blade and ducking out of Jade’s way.

The three battled intensely, unable to land decisive blows on one another. Jade evaded Emerald’s thrusts and Steven parried them, but Steven couldn’t push her back with his shield, and Jade’s swings didn’t have enough power behind them to give her pause. Each blow Jade landed on Emerald was rewarded with a smack of the flat of the villain’s blade.

“You can’t beat me!” Emerald taunted. “I am the pride of the Gem Empire!”

She was right, Jade understood. They couldn’t beat her with the way they were attacking. And every second they wasted here was a chance her army could do serious damage to the Earth. They needed to try something different. Jade leapt backward, outside Emerald’s reach and retreated toward the front of the bridge. A long catwalk separated her from Emerald, and as she peered out the ship’s transparent front, she could see the Earth below. To Jade’s relief, it looked surprisingly not on fire yet. Emerald attempted to chase after Jade, but Steven dashed around her, blocking her path with his shield. The two clashed, with Emerald trying to turn him and push him back toward the door.

With a running start, Jade charged Emerald. Steven stepped to the side as she again kicked Emerald directly in the head, slamming her against the door. Seeing that Emerald was momentarily stunned, Steven created a bubble around her, careful to make it small enough that she wouldn’t have room to swing her sword. She dismissed the claymore and pounded at the side of it.

Steven chuckled. “Just like you planned it, right?”

“I definitely didn’t plan on us getting beat up,” Jade joked.

“Release me!” Emerald demanded.

Steven groaned. “It’s over, Emerald. Surrender.”

“You think it’s  _ over _ just because you’ve put me in a bubble? This ship is loaded with my soldiers! Once they get here, they’ll let me out and I’ll see you both  _ shattered _ !”

“Come on, Emerald,” Jade pleaded. “You’ve lost.”

“Oh, I haven’t lost!” Emerald ranted. “Even if you capture me, my armies will continue to invade! Either way, by the end of the day, I’ll see your world burn!”

Behind her, the door opened. “Why?” asked a tired voice. A disheveled, pink man was standing in the doorway.

“Captain Lars?! How!?” Emerald shrieked.

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Please, Emerald. It’s been a long day. Just ‘Lars’. Also, there’s a panel on both sides of the door,” he explained with some annoyance.

Steven afforded an accusing glance at Jade, who winced.

“It doesn’t matter how many of you come to capture me!” Emerald boasted. “I will still—”

Lars cut her off. “Emerald, what are you  _ doing _ ?”

“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m invading the Earth!”

He rolled his eyes. “I know you’re invading the Earth, but why?”

Emerald pointed an angry finger at Steven. “For revenge! Against him!”

Lars was taken aback. “Steven? Why? Steven’s the nicest guy I know!”

“He ruined my life!” Emerald insisted.

“I wasn’t trying to ruin anything!” Steven pleaded, but Jade shushed him.

“ _ He _ convinced the Diamonds to dismantle the empire. Because of him, Yellow Diamond disbanded her military. Because of  _ him _ , I lost everything! My status, my authority...my purpose!”

Lars shook his head. “Emerald, it sucks that things didn’t work out well for you,” he sympathized, “but you can’t just go around making other people miserable because you feel bad. It won’t make you happy,” he reasoned. “Trust me, I know that firsthand.”

“Then what am I  _ supposed _ to do?” she cried in anguish. “What’s  _ supposed _ to make me happy again?”

He cracked a smile. “When life throws hard changes at you,” he suggested, “then you need to change, too.” He tugged at his cape. “I didn’t always used to be a crafty space pirate, Emerald.” He laughed. “I made donuts.”

“Technically,” Steven corrected, “Sadie made the donuts. You just sort of sat around.”

That just made Lars laugh louder. “And she’s a rock star now! You can be upset that things got worse for you, Emerald, but you don’t have to be a worse person because of it. You can change for the better,” he said, holding out a hand to her. “I can help, if you want.”

Emerald seemed to sniffle, and Steven dispelled the bubble. She gently touched down on the ground and took Lars’s hand. “I...I’d like that,” she admitted. She pressed a button on her bracer. “This is Emerald. Everyone...go ahead and retreat. I’m calling off the invasion.”

Lars and Emerald walked out of the bridge, back to the Sun Incinerator, which he’d ‘docked’ at the hole Jade and Steven had blown in the ship. Distantly, Jade and Steven could hear him introducing her to a group of very shocked Off-Colors.

Jade leaned up against the wall. “Okay. I’m done. I’m spent.”

Steven chuckled. “Me, too. I gotta ask, though,” he wondered, “how did you know Lars was gonna show up?”

Jade laughed. “I had absolutely no idea that was going to happen. That was crazy.”

“Oh,” Steven replied, looking almost a little disappointed. “I was ready to congratulate you on such a great plan.”

“I  _ wish _ I could think that far ahead,” Jade admitted. “Man, I really didn’t expect him to be able to talk her down. I didn’t expect  _ anyone _ to be able to talk her down.”

“Sometimes, you just need to be able to relate to someone,” Steven explained.

“Yeah,” Jade agreed. “You guys sure have a way with being able to help people through changes. I’m really glad—Hm.”

“What?”

“Er,” Jade confessed, “Well, I was  _ gonna _ say, ‘I’m glad I died so I got to meet all of you’ but that sounds kinda morbid.”

He chuckled. “It’s okay, I know what you mean. I'm glad you're a Crystal Gem, too. Even if you did convince me to crash a spaceship into another spaceship.”

As they were speaking, the Sun Incinerator took off. “I guess we’re taking the escape pods,” Jade supposed.

“That’s fine,” Steven shrugged. “As long as we still get home.”

The two of them walked back into the corridor, only to find themselves face-to-face with the little blue gem they’d communicated with earlier. “What  _ is _ it about you that makes strong gems so weak, Steven Universe?” she asked disdainfully.

“He’s charismatic,” Jade half-joked. “Listen, could we just...not fight? Please?”

“There’s been enough fighting today,” Steven agreed. “The invasion’s over, Emerald’s busy hanging out with Lars now, and there’s really no reason for another confrontation.”

“I disagree,” Aquamarine hissed, ripping a bow from her hair. It straightened into a small wand, which she leveled at Steven. “I have every reason to want to kill you.”

Aquamarine fired a blue blast from her wand, which Steven deflected with his shield. Jade rushed up and pushed Aquamarine, grabbing the wand.

“Give me that,” Jade admonished. She handed it to Steven, who broke it in half over his knee.

Furious at her too-easy foiling, Aquamarine shouted for the ship’s crew to come and assist her. However, when the crew arrived, they appeared uncertain. “Emerald called off the invasion, Aquamarine,” a Ruby pointed out.

“Well,  _ I’m _ saying the invasion is still on!” she chided her.

“No, I heard it too,” agreed a Quartz, stepping forward. “Emerald definitely said the invasion was over.”

“Idiots!” Aquamarine growled. “You’re all incompetent fools!” She flitted down the corridor and out of sight.

The crew stood, staring at Jade and Steven. “Who are you two?” they wondered.

Steven stepped forward with a winning smile. “Oh! Well, I’m Steven Universe! This is Jade, a friend of mine. We’ve been...um, negotiating with Emerald.”

“Good,” a Citrine remarked, “I’ve been getting tired of being asked to fight all the time.”

“I thought that you were made to be a soldier,” Jade prodded.

“Yeah,” she responded, “but that doesn’t mean that’s what I  _ want _ to do. None of us really had a choice, though. It was always just moving from one battle to another, conquering planets and everything, you know? I’d rather be doing something else, really.”

Jade and Steven gave each other a surprised glance, but then Jade smirked. “If you’re looking for something else to do, I have something I’ve been working on.”

“Really? What’s that?”

“Well,” she explained, “it would really depend on what you’d  _ want _ to do. The project would involve a lot of different roles. Mining, horticulture, chemical analysis, shipping, building…”

The crew rippled with murmurs. There was definitely some interest.

Steven laughed. “What are you talking about?”

“Steven,” Jade clapped him on the back, “I have a plan.”


	22. Happily Ever After

Months later, Steven, Hope, and Jade stood on a large viewing deck in a repurposed moon base. The sound of tools rang in the background as rooms were altered, equipment was removed, added, or rewired, and workers chatted.

“I have to admit,” Steven conceded, “when I asked if you’d help other shattered gems, I definitely didn’t expect this.”

“Well, I do have good ideas sometimes,” Jade replied.

Hope approached the transparent wall, looking down on the moon’s surface as gems laid an enormous metallic strut. “How long until it’s finished, do you think?” she asked.

“Probably a couple years, honestly,” Jade declared. “We’re all working hard, but I want to make sure people get breaks. Most of these gems have been fighting wars for millenia. And even then, mining operations will have to continue for a while after that, and you and I will have our hands full putting gems back together.”

Bismuth, Peridot, and Lapis walked into the room. Peridot carried a tablet, absentmindedly punching away at it. Seeing them, Jade rushed over to kiss Peridot and Lapis, embracing them tightly.

“You’re acting like you haven’t seen them in ages,” Bismuth chuckled. “We were just here this morning!”

“I like to show affection,” Jade bit back defensively, eliciting further laughter.

“It’s okay,” Peridot commented, “we like it, too.” She held up tablet for Jade to see. “Preliminary estimates show an expected completion date of about thirty-two human months from now.”

“Less than three years,” Jade remarked, “that’s not bad. For an operation this size. On the moon.”

“Yes, and I think we can bring it up in a limited capacity before then. I have a team working on a smaller horticultural production area within  _ this _ facility. It should be ready for use in a few weeks, but the time between reconstructions will be fairly long—about three months, I suspect,” Peridot reported.

“That’s fine,” Lapis interrupted. “We’ve got all kinds of time.”

“Also, the Diamonds sent the ships and injectors you requested,” Peridot continued. “They said it was their way of thanking Steven for sending you, Connie, and Pearl to rescue them,” she snickered.

The warp pad at the back of the room activated. Pearl appeared on the pad. “Skipping out on training?” she teased Jade playfully.

“Just caught up in all of it,” Jade admitted. “I’ll make it tomorrow, I promise.”

Pearl observed the ongoing remodeling of the former Diamond base and the construction of the greenhouse with a smile. “You’ve come so far from when we met, Jade.”

“You’re definitely a long way from sitting frozen on the street ‘cause you didn’t book a hotel,” Bismuth added.

Pearl chuckled. “You’ve done a fantastic job. I’m very proud.”

“We’re  _ all _ proud,” Peridot amended.

Jade smiled, staring out into the endless expanse of space, watching the sun set beyond the moon’s horizon. In all its fragile majesty, the Earth came into view. It  _ shone _ in that moment, brilliant, calm, and blue.

“I couldn’t have done it alone,” she confessed, turning back to warp pad with everyone, ready to head back to Beach City. Back home, where she belonged. Steven patted her on the back, laughing happily. “I couldn’t have done it alone.”


End file.
